HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Internet Access (Portcullis House)

John Whittingdale: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if the Commission will take steps to make wireless access to the internet available in Portcullis House and the Palace of Westminster.

Nick Harvey: An interim wireless solution has recently been installed in the atrium area of Portcullis House. This new service, which is currently being tested, will be publicised more widely in the next few weeks. The service will allow Members using centrally provided Dell laptops (running Windows XP) full access to the parliamentary network in the atrium area. We are planning a fuller solution to this requirement, which will extend wireless coverage to other suitable areas of the parliamentary estate and also provide "guest" access for users with non-centrally provided (Wintel) laptops.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Hate Crimes

Si�n James: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps the Crown Prosecution Service takes to ensure that the right casework decisions are made in cases of homophobic and transphobic crime.

Mike O'Brien: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) regards homophobic and transphobic crimes as particularly serious and is determined to prosecute all hate crime robustly and rigorously. After extensive consultation in 2002, the CPS issued a public policy statement and related guidance for crown prosecutors explaining how such cases would be handled.
	Each CPS area has at least one homophobic crime co-ordinator. These co-ordinators provide guidance to crown prosecutors and agents; work closely with the local police and other agencies on casework and operational issues; ensure consistency of aims and approach; advise on victim and witness care issues; and make links with local LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) communities. Annual conferences for the CPS area homophobic crime co-ordinators are held and good practice promulgated. Each area's performance on prosecuting cases of homophobic crime is monitored and reviewed each quarter.

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Solicitor-General what guidelines his Department has issued to the Crown Prosecution Service on treatment of the victims of human trafficking.

Mike O'Brien: As part of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) response to Operation Pentameter, updated guidance has been issued to specialist crown prosecutors in each CPS Area. This guidance focuses on trafficking for sexual exploitation and has been informed in part by the experiences of those who have handled trafficking cases and supported trafficked victims. It has also been taken from best practice gleaned from research from other jurisdictions.
	The guidance emphasises the importance of adhering to the standards set out in the CPS Public Policy Statement on the Delivery of Service to Victims, which places the needs of victims at the heart of the criminal justice system. This emphasises the importance of obtaining the best evidence from the victim. To do this crown prosecutors have been advised to view the case from a victim's perspective, and not purely from a lawyer's perspective.
	Further specific guidance for trafficking cases Dealing with the Victim has been issued to assist crown prosecutors in understanding the varied and complex needs of trafficked victims and the support required. This guidance has been developed for the police by CENTREX (the Police Training Organisation) in partnership with REFLEX (the Government's multi-agency response to organised immigration crime).

NHS Staff (Assaults)

David Lidington: To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions were initiated in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years against people accused of  (a) violent and  (b) abusive behaviour towards NHS staff; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Public Prosecution Service does not record the employment of victims of violent or abusive behaviour and so the information is not available. I am informed that the police, who continue to prosecute in those areas of Northern Ireland which are not yet covered by the PPS, do not record such information either.
	The PPS takes any attack on staff carrying out public duties seriously. The Code for Prosecutors, published by the PPS, specifically draws the attention of prosecutors to any instance
	where the offence was committed against a person serving the public, for example a doctor, nurse, member of the ambulance service, member of the fire service or a member of the police service
	as an important feature of any offence.

Witness Intimidation

Si�n James: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps the Crown Prosecution Service undertakes when a victim of anti-social behaviour crime decides to withdraw the case following witness intimidation; and what protocols are followed in these circumstances.

Mike O'Brien: In such circumstances, a member of the prosecution team, normally the police officer in the case, will contact the victim to assess the reasons why they wish to withdraw from the prosecution process. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the police will then consider using a range of measures to re-engage the victim in the prosecution process, such as the police installing a panic alarm, clearing the public gallery at the trial, using screens or giving evidence via a video link.
	The prosecution team works to the achieving best evidence guidance issued in 2002 which deals with the care of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses. The Office for Criminal Justice Reform is currently developing new guidance on witness intimidation and the CPS has participated in the development of this guidance.

WALES

Departmental Staff

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed in the Wales Office; and how many were employed in 1997-98.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office publishes its staff numbers in its annual departmental report, which is available in the House Library and at www.walesoffice. gov.uk.
	The Wales Office did not exist in 1997-98.

Farm Subsidies

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much the Wales Office spent on consultancy fees in  (a) 2003-04 and  (b) 2004-05.

Peter Hain: Nil.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Amazonian Rainforest

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Governments of  (a) Brazil,  (b) Ecuador and  (c) Peru about the conservation of the Amazonian rainforest, with particular reference to (i) tackling illegal logging, (ii) managing farming in the forest and (iii) encouraging sustainable use of the forest.

Hilary Benn: The Government are working with Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and other countries to establish a policy framework for deforestation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ways of working towards sustainable forest management in the context of expansion of agriculture and illegal logging are the subject of debate in the United Nations Forum on Forests and elsewhere. Sustainable forest management will be one of the areas of collaboration under the UK-Brazil dialogue on sustainable development.

Botswana

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the government of Botswana about broadening its economic base.

Hilary Benn: The British High Commission in Gaborone leads on economic policy issues in Botswana, and has regular discussions with the Government of Botswana, including on economic growth and development strategy. These discussions have included the Government's plans for economic diversification. This was discussed during the International Development Committee's visit to Botswana in February 2006, when committee members, including the right hon. Member, met the President and other senior Government officials.
	The Government of Botswana has prioritised the broadening of its economic base. In its Vision 2016 document, launched in 1997, the Government recognised that Botswana needs to diversify its economy within the next 20 years. For this to happen, mining, agriculture, industry, manufacturing services and tourism all need to make a substantial contribution to the economy.
	DFID no longer has a bilateral programme in Botswana. DFID Southern Africa's regional programmes in health, trade, and infrastructure will support the Government's plans for economic diversification.

Climate Change

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the impact of climate change and the destruction of the rainforest on sustainable development in the Amazon basin.

Gareth Thomas: Research funded by the Government at the Hadley Centre suggests that climate change could lead to a drier climate in the Amazon basin. A less disturbed forest will better adapt to these conditions, a more fragmented one will be more vulnerable to fire and therefore less resilient. Most climate models agree that complete removal of the Amazonian forest would lead to a drying of the climate, because local rainfall depends on recycling of water via the forest. Removal of the Amazonian forest could also affect local climates in neighbouring regions through changes in atmospheric circulation. The effect on agriculture could be profound and research by Brazil's national meteorological service suggests that the rainfall in the La Plata basin (where much of Brazil's hydroelectric power is generated) depends on moisture transported via the atmosphere from Amazonia. In addition to these potential impacts on agricultural production and power generation, loss of forest as a result of climate change would result in significant reduction in biodiversity and access to forest products which contribute to local livelihoods. Conflicts related to access to natural resources would be exacerbated.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on food and alcohol for its staff working out of office in each year since 2001-02.

Gareth Thomas: It is not possible to disaggregate costs for food and alcohol for staff working out of office, without incurring a disproportionate cost. We are able to provide figures for travel and subsistence costs, which reflect all domestic and overseas travel for Ministers, advisers and officials and include costs for all travel, accommodation and subsistence. The figures are shown as follows:
	
		
			   000 
			 2001-02 2,358 
			 2002-03 2,645 
			 2003-04 10,677 
			 2004-05 13,337 
			 2005-06 12,646 
		
	
	In 2003-04, DFID introduced new procedures to draw together administration costs, including those travel and subsistence costs which had previously been recorded on the programme budget. These changes have increased transparency and have enabled DFID to manage administration costs more effectively. Figures for 2003-04 onwards now include travel and subsistence costs that were previously funded by country programmes and as a result are not comparable with earlier years.
	All travel and subsistence costs are made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.

Doha Trade Talks

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the latest round of Doha trade talks upon sustainable development and poverty reduction.

Hilary Benn: The Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations were suspended in July by the director general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and WTO General Council. This was due to a failure by the G6 countries (US, EU, Japan, Brazil, India and Australia) to reach an agreement on the core triangle of issues at the heart of the talks: market opening in the agricultural sector; cuts in subsidies paid to farmers; and increased market opening for industrial goods. While this suspension is disappointing, we will continue to press for the negotiations to be restarted at the earliest opportunity and to seek an ambitious outcome to the DDA.
	We are committed to seeking to ensure that the DDA negotiations achieve the best impact for sustainable development and poverty reduction, by unlocking the development potential of trade and giving developing countries the flexibility to sequence the opening of their markets in line with their own national development plans and poverty reduction strategies. To help achieve this, DFID has supported a number of activities to increase understanding of the impact of the DDA on development and poverty reduction and to inform negotiations. These have included a study on the impact on developing countries of the various scenarios of non-agricultural market access being discussed in the DDA negotiations, as well as a collection of expert papers on the impacts of the DDA on trade and poverty. DFID also supports a comprehensive research programme by the World Bank that covers a range of trade issues and is aimed at supporting developing countries in the context of trade negotiations.
	Our assessment is that the DDA remains the best opportunity to make progress towards the UK's long-term vision: a world trading system that is fair as well as free, with greater prosperity for developing and developed countries, resulting in reduced levels of global poverty.

Ethiopia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by his Department to assist with the relief effort following flooding in southern Ethiopia.

Hilary Benn: DFID responded rapidly to the needs of the flood-affected communities in South Omo, Dire Dawa and other lowland areas of Ethiopia, with an allocation of 1 million in August, even before an international appeal was launched. This money was channelled through the Humanitarian Response Fund, which is overseen by the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator and managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and ensures that funds are available immediately as needed and in the event of further flooding.
	According to recent reports, the area is currently receiving sufficient assistance. A recent assessment indicates that flood waters are rapidly receding, in particular in the North Gonder zone of Amhara region. We await the results of needs assessments of other affected areas, including Somali and Gambela regions, which are currently being conducted by the Government of Ethiopia and partners. We will provide further support if necessary.

Family Planning

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what bilateral aid his Department provided to family planning programmes in 2005-06.

Gareth Thomas: DFID does not collect figures on spend on family planning programmes per se. Our support to family planning programmes is captured within the broader category of reproductive health.
	Figures for spending on reproductive health during 2005-06 are not available yet. They are being finalised and will be published in this year's Statistics for International Development report at the end of this month; I will write to my hon. Friend once they are available.

Generic Medicines

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Hong Kong ministerial agreement to allow pharmaceutical producing countries to manufacture generic copies of patented medicines for export to a non-producing country at that country's request, how many such requests have been made.

Gareth Thomas: None have been made to date.

India

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of poverty and inequality in India.

Gareth Thomas: DFID's development programme in India is informed by assessments of poverty and inequality carried out by the Government of India and multilateral partners such as the World Bank. Individual DFID-funded programmes and projects also support poverty and inequality data gathering and analysis affecting smaller sections of the Indian population.
	The Indian Government's National Sample Survey provides the principal nationwide poverty data used to inform their activities and DFID's programme. The last survey was undertaken during 2004-05, and its results are awaited. While previous surveys showed a rapid fall in the number of people below the poverty line, from 36 per cent. to 26 per cent. of the population, it is likely that the latest results will indicate a slower pace of poverty reduction.
	DFID India's Country Assistance Plan 2004-08 noted that inequality is widely accepted as the most significant challenge for India in eradicating poverty. Although the 2006 World Bank document, 'Inclusive Growth and Service Delivery: Building on India's Success' notes India as having low inequality in income compared to other countries, India's rapid economic growth since the early 1990s has brought with it increased inequality.

India

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce inequality in India.

Gareth Thomas: DFID's programme in India operates in support of Government of India initiatives to reduce poverty and inequality. The Indian Government's tenth five-year plan (2002 to 2007) is the basis for development co-operation between the Indian Government and DFID, and is reflected in DFID's India Country Assistance Plan 2004 to 2008.
	The tenth plan identifies equitable growth and social justice as an area of concern to be addressed through faster agricultural growth, more employment opportunities, and special programmes for the poorest groups. For agriculture, the plan focuses on food productivity, agricultural reform, investment in rural infrastructure, and incentives for crop diversification. The plan also sets targets for slow-developing states and stresses Government assistance for the poorest districts.
	DFID's support for the Government of India's efforts to reduce inequality includes:
	Rural livelihoods projects in three of DFID India's four focus statesAndhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissato improve and diversify agricultural incomes;
	Support for governance reforms to improve the effectiveness of public expenditure management, leading to the allocation of further resources targeting the poorest;
	Funding for the Poorest Areas Civil Society programme, targeting the 100 poorest districts in India;
	Programmes to increase health and education outcomes, and livelihoods options, that particularly target women, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes; and
	Partnerships with the United Nations' Children's Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to achieve sustainable and equitable human development.

India

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the government of India about tackling HIV/AIDS.

Gareth Thomas: DFID, through its India country office, has regular contact with the Government of India on progress in tackling the AIDS epidemic. DFID actively supports the Indian Government in its efforts to prevent HIV transmission and provide treatment and care for those infected.
	India has an estimated 5.2 million people living with HIV, although prevalence is low at 0.91 per cent. The epidemic is concentrated in six high-prevalence states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland and Tamil Nadu) and is mainly transmitted through unprotected sexual behaviour or injecting drug use.
	DFID in India has committed 123 million over seven years (to March 2007) in support of India's National AIDS Control Programme. DFID's support funds prevention activities in the India programme's four focal states of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissaand West Bengal, and in Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. These targeted interventions are designed to reach out to the most vulnerable groups among whom the prevalence of disease is highest (sex workers, men having sex with men, injecting drug users), through innovative programmes to contain the spread of the disease. DFID also invests in improving governmental capacity to tackle AIDS, and in mass media campaigns by the BBC World Service Trust.
	DFID is currently in discussion with the Government of India on support for the next phase of the National AIDS Control Programme.

Obstetric Fistula

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by his Department to  (a) reduce the incidence of and  (b) repair the effects of obstetric fistula in the developing world.

Gareth Thomas: The cornerstone of preventing obstetric fistula is prompt access to good quality health care when needed. DFID is committed to helping countries expand access to health care, including family planning, safe abortion services, antenatal and obstetric services, all of which are vital for preventing fistula. Meeting the existing demand for family planning services would reduce maternal deaths and injuries by over 20 per cent. DFID is the only major bilateral donor to have a strategy focused on reducing maternal mortality. Copies of the first progress report on the strategy can be found in the Library of the House.
	The effects of fistula can be devastating for the lives of girls and women, whose babies often die. Rendered incontinent they are often rejected by their husbands, thrown out of their homes and excluded from community life. DFID is therefore committed to promoting the rights of girls and women, particularly their sexual and reproductive rights, and to the elimination of harmful practices such as early marriage and female genital mutilation, which can significantly increase the risk of fistula.
	DFID targets some funding through NGOs to tackle obstetric fistula. For example, DFID has provided a grant of 558,000 to the EngenderHealth and Women's Dignity Project to combat obstetric fistula in Tanzania and Uganda, and 140,000 to the Obstetric Fistulae in Africa Project. To compliment our country level support, DFID channels funds through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). DFID provides 20 million a year core funding and in 2004 provided 10 million specifically for reproductive health supplies. DFID also provides an annual contribution of 19 million to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and 12.5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO), whose programmes support work on women's empowerment, maternal and reproductive health.

Obstetric Fistula

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had about obstetric fistula.

Gareth Thomas: On 27 June 2006 the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched a high profile media campaign on obstetric fistula in the UK. DFID was engaged in discussions with UNFPA regarding the overall campaign and the UK was represented at the campaign launch press conference by Baroness Amos. UNFPA's choice of the UK for the campaign was in recognition of the political commitment of the UK to addressing the Millennium Development Goal 5: 'Improve maternal health'.

Obstetric Fistula

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of efforts to reduce the incidence and impact of obstetric fistula.

Gareth Thomas: DFID draws on the analysis of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for data regarding obstetric fistula and does not conduct its own assessments. WHO estimates that more than two million women and girls are living with fistula in developing countries, with 50,000 to 100,000 new cases occurring each year. However, these figures are based on the number of women seeking treatment and are likely to be gross underestimates. The full extent of the problem has never been mapped and reliable data on obstetric fistula is scarce. In 2004 UNFPA and EngenderHealth conducted a groundbreaking needs assessment study in nine African countries to provide the basis of our understanding on obstetric fistula in sub-Saharan Africa.

St. Helena

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the provision of an airport on the island of St Helena.

Gareth Thomas: DFID remains firmly committed to the development of air access to St. Helena, subject to rigorous environmental impact assessment and acceptable contracts. In July, all the short-listed consortia responded to the invitation to tender by indicating that, while they were keen to work on the project, they would not bid against the tender as it stood.
	We have reviewed the concerns raised and will shortly issue a new notice in the  Official Journal of the European Union. In doing so, we shall ensure that DFID's interest in achieving value for money is preserved.
	Work on identifying an airline to operate scheduled flights is continuing in parallel with the procurement of the airport contractor.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate he has made of the death rate in Darfur.

Hilary Benn: UNICEF and the World Health Organisation are carrying out a nutritional survey which will provide an up to date estimate of death rates: preliminary results are due on 15 October. The best current estimates show that the average crude mortality rate in Darfur remains below the recognised emergency threshold of 1 death per 10,000 population per day.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who have been  (a) killed and  (b) displaced as a result of the conflict in Darfur.

Hilary Benn: No reliable figures exist for the total number of people killed across Darfur since the conflict began and estimates vary widely.
	But every death, casualty or rape in Sudan is a tragedy. That is why we are pressing the Government of Sudan and the rebel groups to stop the fighting; to agree to the deployment of a UN force in Darfur; to co-operate in bolstering the AU in the interim; to commit to and implement the Darfur Peace Agreement; and to ensure full humanitarian access for the UN and NGOs in Darfur.
	The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates that the current displaced population in Darfur is 1.9 million. This includes those in established IDP camps and those living in informal gatherings.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian impact of the Government military offensive in Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Sudan Government's recent military offensive has caused civilian displacement, predominantly in North Darfur, with approximately 20,000 new arrivals having been registered in the camps for internally displaced people there. Localised displacement is assumed to have taken place further north in North Darfur, but aid agency assessments have been hampered due to the ongoing conflict.
	The World Food Programme estimates that 224,000 registered beneficiaries in north Darfur could not be accessed in September due to the offensive and other inter-factional fighting. There could be a sharp rise in malnutrition rates early in 2007 if access for humanitarian agencies continues to be hampered, and fighting prevents the remaining population from harvesting their crops

Trade (Africa)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by his Department to facilitate African trade.

Hilary Benn: Last month the Chancellor and I announced that we expect UK spending on aid for trade, including economic infrastructure, to increase to $750 million by 2010. A major proportion of this will flow to Africa, including funding for transport, energy, ports and communications, as well as capacity building for trade policy and trade facilitation.
	DFID supports efforts to improve regional integrationkey to facilitating African tradeat both pan-African (support to African UnionNew Partnership for Africa's Development and African Development Bank) and sub-regional levels. For example in southern Africa, DFID supports a regional trade facilitation programme and is also initiating two new programmes to facilitate trade: one to implement one stop border posts to make cross border trade easier, and a Regional Standards Programme to increase capacity of the region to produce goods of export quality. DFID is also developing an extensive programme to improve the state of transport infrastructure in southern Africa, to reduce transport costs and improve the logistics of moving freight across long distances.
	DFID also provides support at national level. For example, DFID assists Lesotho's labour-intensive garment sector to retain and build its market share in a time of global upheaval. DFID also funds large-scale programmes to help countries like Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi and Rwanda reform their customs and facilitate trade.
	DFID also supports regular meetings of the Boksburg Group, an informal group of experts, government officials and business representatives of developing countries coming together to discuss how best to achieve trade facilitation reform, including in the negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
	Finally, we continue to work hard towards an ambitious global, multilateral trade deal that will bring maximum benefits for Africa.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Quality (Milton Keynes)

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of air quality in Milton Keynes in each year between 1997 and 2005.

Ben Bradshaw: Local authorities (LAs) have a duty under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 to review and assess the current, and likely future air quality in their areas. The first step of the review and assessment process is an updating and screening assessment (USA), which is to be undertaken by all LAs, every three years, to identify those matters that have changed since the last round was completed. Where LAs consider that one or more of the nationally prescribed air quality objectives for each of the seven pollutants is unlikely to be met by the relevant deadline, they must declare an air quality management area (AQMA), covering the area where the problem is expected. These LAs must then take action, along with other agencies and organisations, to work towards meeting the air quality objectives.
	When the local air quality management system was first introduced in December 1997, LAs were advised to complete the review and assessment process by December 1999. My Department assessed Milton Keynes' air quality report in December 1999. The report concluded that further investigation was needed in respect of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM10). Following monitoring and modelling, Milton Keynes concluded from the additional work that they did not need to declare an AQMA.
	The second round of reviews and assessments started in 2003 and LAs had to submit USAs by the end of May 2003, and were expected to submit either a detailed assessment or a progress report by April 2004 and April 2005 respectively. Milton Keynes submitted their USA in July 2003 and a Progress Report in both July 2004 and July 2005. They concluded that there was no need to proceed to a detailed assessment or declare an AQMA.
	The third round of review and assessments has now started and local authorities were asked to submit new USAs by the end of April 2006. We received Milton Keynes' report in May 2006. Our consultants have assessed the report and agreed that there is no need for Milton Keynes to carry out further work in respect of any of the pollutants.

Cattle

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average market valuations used in cattle compensation tables have been over the last six months.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 1 February 2006, cattle compensation for bovine tuberculosis in England has been determined primarily using table valuations, based on average market prices for 47 pre-determined cattle categories. These are based on the animal's age, gender, type (dairy or beef) and status (for example, pedigree or non-pedigree). The table valuations are determined by using real sales prices achieved, at a large number and wide range of sources, for same category (but healthy) animals.
	A complete list of monthly table valuations since February 2006 is available on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/control/tablevaluations.htm.

Climate Change

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where and when the bilateral Working Group on Climate Change with Brazil will start work.

Ian Pearson: The date and venue for the first high-level officials meeting of the UK-Brazil Working Group on Climate Change, under the UK-Brazil High Level Dialogue on Sustainable Development, has yet to be confirmed.

Gloucester-Sharpness Canal

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultation his Department has undertaken on the proposed changes to the opening of the Gloucester-Sharpness canal; and whether the changes have been precipitated by a reduction in funding to British Waterways.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for British Waterways, which is consulting both users and trade unions. Its plans to change the operation of the locks and bridges on the Gloucester-Sharpness canal were in hand before any reduction in the 2006-07 grant was made.

Hazardous Waste

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when the Environment Agency's technical guidance on hazardous waste definition will be updated to take into account version 8 of the Health and Safety Executive's Approved Supply List;
	(2)  if he will instruct the Environment Agency to update its technical guidance WM2 to include all compounds listed as hazardous in version 8 of the Health and Safety Executive's Approved Supply List.

Ben Bradshaw: The Environment Agency (EA) has already published its intention to revise the technical guidance on hazardous waste definition.
	Guidance on the classification of hazardous waste is available from the EA's website and this also sets out its position regarding Approved Supply List 8. The advice can be found at: http://www.environment-agency.gov .uk/subjects/waste/1019330/1217981/1384307/1470188/?lang= e.
	The advice states that the EA will not normally enforce the use of ASL version 8, in conjunction with WM2, until 1 November 2006. The EA intends to release a revised WM2 leading up to the 1 November 2006 deadline.
	The EA has also produced a shorter guide to the classification of hazardous waste: HWR01 What is a hazardous waste. This document refers to ASL version 8 and is available from the EA's website at: http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0506BKTR-e-e.pdf.

National Parks

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made with the process of considering the establishment of a national park for the South Downs; when he expects to be able to announce a decision; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The South Downs national park designation process is on hold, following the High Court judgment made last November on a challenge by Meyrick Estate Management Ltd. to the New Forest National Park Designation Order.
	The judgment has implications for the proposed South Downs national park, as it potentially changes the way in which the statutory criteria for national park status have generally been understood and interpreted since the 1950s.
	DEFRA's appeal against the judgment is due to be heard by the Court of Appeal on 1-2 November. Only when that is resolved will the Secretary of State be able to decide how to re-start the South Downs process, including whether or not to invite further representations.

National Water Grid

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing a national water grid to enable water to be piped across the UK to tackle different rainfall levels; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency report Do we need large-scale water transfers for south east England? was published in September. It estimated that to build five pipelines carrying 1,100 megalitres of water per day from the northern Pennines to London would cost up to 15 billion, with a unit cost of 8-14 million per megalitre per day of supply capacity. This is at least four times the unit cost of building new reservoirs to increase supplies locally.
	The report found no evidence for the need for such large scale transfers. These were considered to be more expensive and environmentally damaging than the measures already in the south east water companies' water resources plans.

Packaging

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage a reduction in the amount of packaging used by supermarkets.

Ben Bradshaw: Last year the Government launched the Courtauld commitment, a voluntary agreement between 13 major retailers and the waste and resources action programme (WRAP), to reduce packaging waste. There are three broad objectives to meet, which are:
	i. to design out packaging waste growth by 2008;
	ii. to deliver absolute reductions in packaging waste by March 2010; and
	iii. to identify ways to tackle the problem of food waste.
	I will shortly be meeting with the retailers and WRAP to assess progress against these objectives, and to agree next steps. I am also meeting retailers on 12 October to discuss ways in which we can take action to reduce the amount of plastic bags offered at the point of sale and encourage their reuse.
	There are also two sets of regulations in place which address the environmental impact of packaging in the UK; both of which encourage producers (including retailers) to minimise packaging. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2005 are intended to increase the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. The amount of packaging waste producers have to recover and recycle, and the cost of doing so, is determined, in part, by the amount of packaging they handle. Therefore businesses can save money if they reduce the amount of packaging they deal with.
	The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 (as amended) place a number of requirements on all packaging placed on the market in the UK, including a requirement that packaging should be manufactured so that the volume and weight are limited to the minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety, hygiene and acceptance for the packed product and for the consumer.
	Both regulations have led to decreases in packaging used around products. However, more still needs to be done to reduce the amount of packaging that is produced. We have asked the Advisory Committee on Packaging to work with industry to find solutions to this problem and recommend ways of encouraging businesses to further reduce the amount of packaging they use.

Packaging

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans his Department has for  (a) encouraging and  (b) compelling (i) manufacturers and (ii) retailers to use less packaging.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1823W.

Recycling

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the amount of commercial plastic used in England which could be recycled but that is currently not; what plans his Department has for the recycling of plastic other than bottles in England; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: According to the British Plastics Federation, an estimated 19-21 per cent. of the total plastics consumed in the UK in 2005-06 were recycled. The Government are taking action to support the reduction of plastic packaging in the waste stream and the recycling of plastics more generally.
	There are numerous different types of plastics in use, which would require separate collection (or separation after collection) and treatment facilities to recycle. It inevitably takes time for that capacity to develop. Local authorities have understandably tended to focus their attention on waste streams that make a greater contribution to their targets and for which recycling infrastructure and markets are more developed. However, with targets for household waste recycling and composting becoming ever more demanding, all local authorities will have to start tackling the more difficult waste streams like plastics.
	The waste and resources action programme (WRAP) is working to further develop efficient markets for recycled materials. WRAP'S targets for 2004-06 are to work with the plastics industry to increase the acceptance of recycled plastic throughout the supply chain, to deliver an additional 20,000 tonnes of domestic plastic bottle recycling capacity, and to ensure that an additional 11,000 tonnes of non-bottle plastics are recycled.
	The Packaging Regulations set targets for recovery and recycling of packaging waste to be met by obligated businesses each year so that the UK can meet the relevant EU directive targets by the specified deadline. The directive requires the UK to recycle 22.5 per cent. of the plastic packaging waste entering the UK waste stream by 2008. Currently around 20 per cent. of plastic packaging is recycled in the UK.
	Defra is working closely with the devolved administrations, WRAP, SWAG (Scottish Waste Awareness Group) and businesses to promote reusable bags and reduce the number of plastic bags entering the waste stream. More information is available on the Defra website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/plasticbags/index.htm.
	As a consequence of the Agricultural Waste Regulations coming into force, which ban agricultural plastics from being burnt or buried on farms, the Government are developing producer responsibility regulations for the collection and recovery of non-packaging farm plastics. It is envisaged that any collection scheme developed will collect both packaging and non-packaging farm plastics. The Secretary of State has allocated 1 million of the business resource efficiency and waste (BREW) funding to research this and other issues; provide recommendations on the most economical way to collect plastic waste from farms; and how best to implement producer responsibility for non-packaging farm plastics.

Recycling

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of recycling by businesses.

Ben Bradshaw: Waste is a devolved matter and, in Wales, it is dealt with by the National Assembly. However, recycling by UK businesses, according to the most recent Environment Agency report, showed waste recovery rates were at record levels in 2002, with 45 per cent. of all business waste recycled or re-used.
	The landfill tax escalator gives businesses a strong financial incentive to re-use or recycle their waste. Revenue from the landfill tax escalator is recycled to businesses through the business resource efficiency and waste (BREW) programme, which provides funding to organisations who can offer support and advice to businesses who wish to improve their resource efficiency.
	The revised Waste Strategy for England, which we will publish this winter, will outline what steps are being taken, and what more needs to be done, to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfill. The public, businesses and Government all have roles to play in following more sustainable waste management practices.

Refuse Disposal

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to reorganise refuse disposal in Greater Manchester; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have no plans to reorganise refuse disposal in Greater Manchester. The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority is responsible for waste disposal in the area. The authority is currently undertaking a procurement process for a new waste contract that will help them increase recycling and meet their landfill allowance trading scheme obligations.

Rivers/Waterways

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the viability of a policy of open access to rivers and waterways in England and Wales.

Barry Gardiner: The Government have already assessed the viability of a policy of open access to rivers and waterways in England. We have no plans to provide a statutory right of access to water since research has shown that overall supply is roughly in balance with demand.
	However, we recognise that there is some unmet demand for white water canoeing and canoe touring. Therefore, we are supporting the Environment Agency in its work with other stakeholders to develop regional strategies for water-related sport and recreation with the aim of identifying exactly what is needed and where. Plans for two pilot regions will be in place in 2007-08.
	In addition, Defra commissioned the Environment Agency to pilot four demonstration projects to develop best practice access agreements for canoeists on key stretches of English water. This not only improves access in the areas in question but also provides a template that can be used elsewhere.
	Promoting recreation, including access to rivers, is a devolved matter and, in Wales, is the responsibility of the National Assembly.

Rural Enterprise Scheme

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Rural Enterprise Scheme applications from the South West were  (a) received and  (b) granted in each of the last 18 months; and what the value of payments made to applicants from the South West was in (i) each of the last 18 months and (ii) over the life of the scheme.

Barry Gardiner: The following table shows the number of applications received and approved in each month from April 2005 to September 2006, and the value of payments made under the Rural Enterprise Scheme for the same period.
	It is important to note that there is no direct correlation between the number of applications received and approved in a particular month, due to the detailed appraisal process. Furthermore, as claims can be spread over months or years, the payments do not relate specifically to the applications listed in previous columns.
	The total value of payments made over the life of the Rural Enterprise Scheme is 20,129,666.76.
	
		
			  Rural Enterprise Scheme Information, April 2005 to September 2006 
			   Applications received  Applications approved  Value of payments made () 
			  2005
			 April 14 5 561,661.73 
			 May 12 3 385,611.87 
			 June 8 5 769,115.20 
			 July 20 13 733,939.84 
			 August 17 6 421,322.20 
			 September 24 11 431,185.14 
			 October 20 4 457,161.12 
			 November 16 15 846,693.23 
			 December 21 16 338,624.10 
			 
			  2006
			 January 18 3 669,925.35 
			 February 17 17 549,341.05 
			 March 33 13 828,194.06 
			 April 24 7 743,530.08 
			 May 26 0 641,962.35 
			 June 21 0 896,142.54 
			 July n/a 31 569,050.55 
			 August n/a 1 672,517.04 
			 September n/a 0 755,665.22

Sewage

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions raw sewage has been found on or near the English coastline since 2001; in how many cases a prosecution was brought in respect thereof; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, Column 192W.
	Exact figures on the number of prosecutions in respect of raw sewage pollution on or near the English coastline are not held centrally.

Waste Management

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's total expenditure to date has been on the new technologies element of the waste implementation programme; what the projected total budget is for the programme; and how many new technology plants it is estimated will be funded.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 12 October 2006
	The waste implementation programme's new technologies workstream has a budget of 42 million over five years. To date, the expenditure has been 6.74 million.
	It is expected that nine technology plants will be built under the Demonstrator programme.

Waste Management

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reports his Department has commissioned in the last two years relating to waste management in London; and at what cost.

Ben Bradshaw: In October 2005, KPMG was appointed to deliver reports on options analysis for waste management and waste planning in London, contracts and assets relating to waste management and an overarching report. Defra contributed a total of 165,844.50 including value added tax (VAT) and expenses. The Department for Communities and Local Government contributed a further 23,500 including VAT, and the Government Office for London contributed 13,806.25 including VAT.
	In February 2006, SLR was appointed to undertake an analysis of responses, concerning waste, to the consultation on The Greater London Authority: The Government's proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly. Defra contributed 36,953.75 including VAT and expenses.
	In early 2005, Mott MacDonald was jointly commissioned by Defra and the Greater London Authority to undertake a report on Opportunities for efficiency gains in waste management services; London Pilot Study. Defra contributed a total of 190,556.45 excluding VAT plus expenses.

Waste Management

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what resources he is making available for the dedicated London waste infrastructure development programme announced in July in The Greater London Authority: The Government's Final Proposals for Additional Powers and Responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly.

Ben Bradshaw: The waste infrastructure development programme (WIDP) was announced in May 2006 and will work nationally with local authorities and the regions to accelerate the building of new waste diversion infrastructure. The Mayor of London and the Government will work together closely on the London component of the programme.
	The WIDP is not an additional allocation of funding to a region, but an opportunity to provide extra specialist support to London authorities. The purpose of the WIDP is to ensure that where major infrastructure is required, additional expertise will be targeted at key points in the planning and procurement process, including operational reviews, to help authorities deliver that infrastructure. This will be a welcome additional resource nationally, where specialist skills are often lacking in this sector, as identified in the recent Second Kelly Market Review. The WIDP will dedicate a senior and experienced member of its team to develop and expedite projects in London, with specialist support available from the national team when required.

Waste Management

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his specific proposals for waste management in London announced in July were one of the options in the original consultation document on new powers for the Greater London Authority; and if so, who supported them.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government announced, on 13 July, a package of measures on waste that will help London improve its performance without change to current structures.
	A number of broad proposals on the future powers and responsibilities of the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority (GLA) were put forward in the public consultation carried out by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) between November 2005 and February 2006. These included an option where the current structure for waste management would remain the same. Consultees were also asked whether there were any additional powers that could be given to the GLA that would enable the current structure to work better.
	A summary of consultation responses is available from the DCLG's website at http://www.communities. gov.uk/index.asp?id=1501733.

Waste Management

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in what ways the package of measures for waste management set out in the Government's policy statement The Greater London Authority: The Government's final proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the Mayor and the Assembly promotes  (a) the use of hydrogen as a transport or stationary fuel source and  (b) the use of new technologies to provide renewable sources of hydrogen from waste.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 12 October 2006
	The package of measures set out by the Government provides the Mayor with increased powers and responsibility to deliver his municipal waste management strategy and spatial development strategy for London. The Mayor sets out policies relating to new technologies and renewable energy, which may include hydrogen production, in his municipal waste management strategy. The enhancement of his powers to require waste authorities to deliver services in general conformity with his strategy, along with his existing power of direction, will help ensure the strategic vision the Mayor sets out for London is delivered on the ground.
	The waste and recycling forum announced as part of the package will be led by the Mayor to co-ordinate activity across different sectors and address the key strategic issues facing London. The waste and recycling fund is associated with this and should be used to link waste with other London priorities such as transport and climate change. The Mayor leads on the London Hydrogen Partnership, which has just released a report on hydrogen as the bus fuel of the future, where he is working to introduce 70 hydrogen vehicles. I will be interested to see how he takes this forward and links it with waste.
	In addition, there will be a dedicated London element to the waste infrastructure development programme (WIDP), which was announced in May 2006, providing a strong role for the Mayor in working with local authorities and the regions to accelerate the building of new waste diversion infrastructure. These revised arrangements should enable the Mayor, boroughs and central Government together to consider more strategically the role of new technologies for treating London's waste, including the scope for hydrogen generation.

Waste Management

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will publish the consultancy reports which have been commissioned by  (a) his Department and  (b) the Government Office for London on the review of waste management arrangements in London.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 12 October 2006
	The relevant reports by KPMG have been published on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/localauth/.
	The Government intend to publish shortly the SLR report on the analysis of responses concerning waste to the consultation on The Greater London Authority: The Government's proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly. This report will also be made available on the Defra website.
	The Mott MacDonald report, jointly commissioned by Defra and the Greater London Authority (GLA), Opportunities for efficiency gains in waste management services; London Pilot Study, has been published on the GLA's website: http://www.london. gov.uk/mayor/environment/waste/lswa/index.isp

Waste Management

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the panel report on the early alterations to the London plan relating to new technologies for waste.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 12 October 2006
	The Government do not have a formal role in commenting on the panel report, but we welcome its publication and have noted its conclusions. We await the Mayor's revised policies in his Intend to Publish version of the plan.

Waste Management

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many responses there were on the subject of waste management from  (a) London boroughs, London waste disposal authorities and other borough groupings,  (b) community and voluntary sector organisations,  (c) regions, regional assemblies and the Environment Agency,  (d) waste management companies,  (e) trade unions and  (f) others to the Government's consultation entitled, The Government's proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly, broken down by those who favoured (i) a changed governance structure but did not specify which option, (ii) option 1, (iii) option 2, (iv) option 3, (v) option 4 and (vi) his Department's preferred option announced in July.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government published a summary of responses to their consultation on proposals for additional powers for the Greater London Authority on 13 July. A copy was placed in the Library of the House. That document gives details of the organisations and individuals who responded to the consultation exercise. The summary of consultation responses is also available on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website at the following address: http://www.communities.gov.uk/glapowers.
	SLR were appointed to undertake an analysis of responses concerning waste to the consultation on The Greater London Authority: The Government's proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly. The SLR report provides a breakdown on the requested categories and will be published on the Defra website by 20 October.

Waste Management

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of London's waste is managed within the capital.

Ben Bradshaw: It is estimated that London currently deals with approximately 60 per cent. of all its waste within its own administrative boundaries.
	The Mayor has set a target for London to manage 85 per cent. of its total waste within its administrative boundaries by 2020 (80 per cent. for municipal solid waste).

Waste Management

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of London's waste authorities did not meet their statutory household waste recycling targets in 2005-06; and what measures within the Government's policy statement The Greater London Authority: The Government's final proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the Mayor and the Assembly are designed to improve the level of performance.

Ben Bradshaw: Data on local authority household waste recycling and composting performance in 2005-06 should be available later this year.
	Analysis based on un-audited data estimates that, in 2005-06, local authorities in England recycled and composted about 27 per cent. of household waste, thus provisionally exceeding our public service agreement target of 25 per cent.
	The London-wide waste and recycling forum, which was announced in The Government's Final Proposals for Additional Powers and Responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly, will bring together key interested parties, including London waste authorities, to improve waste minimisation and recycling. The waste and recycling fund is associated with this and should be used to link waste with other London priorities such as transport and climate change.

Waste Management

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the package of measures for waste management set out in the Government's Policy Statement The Greater London Authority: The Government's final proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the Mayor and the Assembly are intended  (a) to increase London's recycling and recovering capacity for its municipal waste and  (b) to ensure the most effective use of London's blue ribbon network to transport waste within London.

Ben Bradshaw: The London-wide waste and recycling forum, announced in The Government's Final Proposals for Additional Powers and Responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly, will bring together key interested parties, including London waste authorities, to improve waste minimisation and recycling, promote collaborative action and link waste with other London priorities around climate change, transport and employment.
	In addition, there will be a dedicated London element to the waste infrastructure development programme (WIDP), announced in May 2006, providing a strong role for the Mayor in working with local authorities to accelerate the building of new waste diversion infrastructure, allowing London to manage more of its waste within the city.
	The Mayor has also gained increased powers and responsibility to deliver his municipal waste management strategy and spatial development strategy for London. In his waste strategy, the Mayor sets out a number of policies and proposals relating to the transportation of waste, including the use of rivers and canals, which form part of the blue ribbon network. The enhancement of his powers to require waste authorities to deliver services in general conformity with his strategy, along with his existing power of direction, will help ensure the strategic vision the Mayor sets out for London is delivered on the ground.
	Further information is available on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website at http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1500896

Waste Management

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when the Government plan to complete and publish its major review of waste strategy;
	(2)  when his Department will publish the findings of the waste strategy review;
	(3)  when the waste strategy review will be published.

Ben Bradshaw: On 2 August this year, Defra published a summary of the responses to the consultation on the review of England's waste strategy. The summary can be viewed at the following website address: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/wastestratreview/index.htm
	We are carefully considering all responses to the consultation while developing our policies for the revised strategy. We intend to publish the revised waste strategy for England in the new year.

Waste Management

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to support new waste technologies in London.

Ben Bradshaw: The new technologies workstream of Defra's waste implementation programme focuses on the biodegradable element of municipal waste in England. It aims to overcome the barriers to the successful development and take-up of proven and near-market waste technologies by providing a comprehensive package of support to local authorities and other interested parties. This is being done through the following programmes:
	(i) the Supporter Programme provides impartial information, advice and training to local authorities, including those in London, on a variety of aspects related to new and emerging waste management technologies;
	(ii) the Education and Training Programme provides opportunities for those working in the waste industry to gain formal qualifications in sustainable waste management and new waste management technologies;
	(iii) the Technology Research and Innovation Fund provides funding for Research and Development projects into innovative new technologies which will help England's obligations to reduce the amount of BMW going to landfill; and
	(iv) the Demonstrator Programme provides 30 million of assistance to establish new waste treatment technology demonstration projects.
	The waste and recycling forum was announced on 13 July as part of the package of measures which provides the Mayor with increased powers and responsibility to deliver his municipal waste management strategy and spatial development strategy for London. It will be led by the Mayor to co-ordinate activity across different sectors and address the key strategic issues facing London. The waste and recycling fund is associated with this and should be used to link waste with other London priorities such as transport and climate change. This is likely to include looking at the role of renewable energy and new technologies in treating London's waste.

Waste Management

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to improve the co-ordination of the management of  (a) municipal and  (b) other waste streams in London; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: On 13 July this year, the Government announced the outcome of their review of the powers and responsibilities of the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority. As part of this, the Government announced a package of measures which provides the Mayor with increased powers and responsibility to deliver his municipal waste management strategy and spatial development strategy for London. The enhancement of his powers to require waste authorities to deliver services in general conformity with his strategy, along with his existing power of direction, will help ensure the strategic vision the Mayor sets out for London is delivered on the ground.
	As part of the proposals, the Mayor will lead a London-wide waste and recycling forum to co-ordinate activity across different sectors and address the key strategic issues facing London. The waste and recycling fund is associated with this and should be used to link waste with other London priorities such as economic development, transport and climate change. Other improvements, such as providing stronger powers for the Mayor to determine strategic waste planning applications and the London component of the waste infrastructure development programme, will also help establish facilities and infrastructure necessary to co-ordinate the management of municipal and other waste streams within London.
	The Mayor is producing a wider waste strategy for London that will be looking at non-municipal waste streams and I look forward to seeing this when it is released for consultation.

Wildlife Database

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with which organisations his Department's global wildlife division shares information from its database; on what basis the information is shared; and whether information is shared routinely with any organisations.

Barry Gardiner: In April 2006, internal changes within DEFRA resulted in the work of the global wildlife division being divided between two new divisions: the wildlife habitats and biodiversity division and the wildlife species conservation division. These divisions hold numerous databases and share information with several different organisations as requested. All such requests meet our obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998.

TRANSPORT

A27 Cophall Roundabout

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic surveys assessing the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate were undertaken  (a) before and  (b) after the service station development at the Cophall roundabout was built.

Stephen Ladyman: The information is as follows:
	 (a) A traffic impact assessment of the effect of the service area on the Cophall roundabout was carried out by the developer prior to planning consent being given. At that stage the roundabout had not been completed, surveys of actual traffic flows could not be carried out. The impact assessment relied on forecast traffic flows.
	 (b) The Highways Agency is currently undertaking a traffic count to collect 'live' traffic data in order to update and verify the impact assessment.

A27 Cophall Roundabout

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions control computer malfunctions have occurred at the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate; and on how many of these occasions severe congestion ensued.

Stephen Ladyman: There has been only one control computer malfunction which became apparent after the traffic lights were switched on in May 2006. This resulted in traffic congestion on the roundabout and its approaches.

A27 Cophall Roundabout

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors underpinned the decision of the Highways Agency to switch off the traffic lights at the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate in May 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: After the traffic lights were switched on in May 2006 a validation of the system was carried out and this identified a problem of a malfunctioning chip. The lights were switched off and the chip was replaced. It was decided not to switch the traffic lights back on until further traffic survey work is completed.

A27 Cophall Roundabout

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he estimates that the traffic lights at the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate will be switched back on.

Stephen Ladyman: Once the further traffic count is complete, the Highways Agency needs to evaluate the findings and design any changes that are considered necessary. We expect this to be before December 2006. The traffic lights will only be switched back on if the new traffic survey data indicates a need for them at this stage.

A27 Cophall Roundabout

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timetable he has established for clarification of the road markings at the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency plans to improve these road markings by the end of the year.

A27 Cophall Roundabout

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent since the opening of the Cophall roundabout on the A27 at Polegate on dealing with consequential problems related to the roundabout.

Stephen Ladyman: The cost for the installation of traffic signals was approximately 600,000. This work has been funded by the developer of the service area as a planning condition of that development.

A630 Sheffield (Subsidence)

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when  (a) the subsidence on the A630 between Sheffield and the M1 motorway will be rectified and  (b) the road will be resurfaced.

Stephen Ladyman: Sections of the A630 Sheffield Parkway and A57 Mosborough Parkway have been affected by expansion of the material used to construct the sub-base layers of the road. This has produced surface deformation and characteristics not dissimilar to those caused by subsidence.
	The Department has provided an additional 4.3 million to Sheffield city council for remedial work on both sections of road. Works on the A57 Mosborough Parkway are complete and works on the A630 Sheffield Parkway are due to start in the summer of 2007. The works involve removing the affected material and a total reconstruction of the carriageway, which will of course include resurfacing.

Airline Security

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with his European counterparts in relation to security arrangements for flights into the United Kingdom.

Gillian Merron: Transport Ministers have in recent weeks discussed aviation security issues, not confined to the question of inbound flights, with several of their European counterparts. These issues were also on the agenda of the Transport Council on 12 October, at which the Minister of State for Department for Transport represented the UK.

Boatmasters Licence

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of the new national boatmasters' licence on the operation of the Watermans' Acts in Portsmouth harbour.

Stephen Ladyman: The boatmasters' licence will become the national statutory qualification required for the operation of domestic commercial vessels in all inland waters and on limited coastal operations. Anyone holding a relevant BML will not 'also' be required to hold a locally issued licence for the same purpose.
	The new regulations will therefore make the Watermans' Acts obsolete, and we are discussing with the Gosport and Portsmouth Joint Board the revocation of those Acts.

Chevron Markings

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of chevron markings on motorways on driving standards; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Chevron markings were trialled on the M1 motorway in the early 1990s. A 15 per cent. reduction in the number of drivers following too close to the vehicle in front was observed in the lanes that were marked. Improvements in close-following were also observed in the unmarked, outside lane. Following the trial, advice and guidance about the use of chevron markings was published. Monitoring is continuing but no further assessment has been made of the effect of chevron markings on driving standards.

Dial-a-Ride Service

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in Gloucestershire who use the Dial-a-Ride service; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: In 2005-06 Community Transport operators across Gloucestershire carried approximately 235,000 passengers, of which the majority (nearly 97 per cent.) were pensioners.

Dial-a-Ride Service

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to allow dial-a-ride services to qualify for concessionary fares remuneration; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Local authorities already have the discretion to vary their concessionary fare schemes to include other modes. Some authorities choose to include dial-a-ride services in their local schemes, such decisions being based on their judgment of local need and their overall financial priorities.

European New Car Assessment Programme

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials have had with the European New Car Assessment Programme; what issues were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: In 2005 I spoke at the 10 year Anniversary Conference that celebrated the contribution Euro NCAP had made to improving the safety of new passenger cars. The conference also identified the continuing challenges for road safety and the role of the automotive industry in delivering new safety technologies.
	Officials from the Department attend the Euro NCAP management meetings that take place three times each year in addition to routine technical level discussion on an ad-hoc basis.

European New Car Assessment Programme

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department provided to the European New Car Assessment Programme in each of the last two years; for what purposes the funding was provided; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The United Kingdom contributed 214,533 to Euro NCAP in 2004-05 and 130,430 in 2005-06. We anticipate a similar contribution as made in 2005-06 for this financial year.
	These figures are broken down in the following table:
	
		
			   
			   2004-05  2005-06 
			 Euro NCAP Membership and Administration Fees 40,898 36,722 
			 Euro NCAP Car Purchases 11,991 40,360 
			 Euro NCAP Test Fees 161,644 53,348

Fuel Efficiency

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of fuel additives in extending the miles per gallon achieved by vehicles.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has not conducted its own testing on the effectiveness of fuel additives. However, there is a substantial amount of evidence demonstrating the benefits of detergent additives. These reduce build-up of deposits within the fuel system, fuel injectors and cylinders and are effective at reducing deterioration in fuel economy over time. A 1995 automotive and fuel industry review suggested that use of detergent additives delivered fuel economy benefits of around 2 per cent. for diesel vehicles and 4 per cent. for petrol vehicles.
	Practically all UK road fuel contains detergents, with some companies offering speciality fuels with particularly high doses of detergent additives marketed on their engine protection, power and fuel economy benefits.
	Fewer data are available on other types of fuel additives.

Horse-drawn Public Transport

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which body is responsible for regulating horse-drawn public transport.

Gillian Merron: Horse-drawn omnibuses and horse-drawn hackney carriages are licensed by local authorities (district or borough councils or unitary authorities). Any byelaws made by local licensing authorities to regulate horse-drawn omnibuses or hackney carriages must be confirmed by the Secretary of State before they can come into force. It is for local authorities to enforce any byelaws which they make.

Jet Skis

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce  (a) permits,  (b) compulsory insurance and  (c) a minimum age for jet ski users.

Stephen Ladyman: Officials from the Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are currently considering the options available for ensuring that all personal water craft, including jet skis, are operated safely.

M18 (Pipe and Cable Laying)

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a pipe and cables are being laid alongside the north bound carriageway of the M18 motorway between junctions 3 and 4; and why such excavation has not taken place at a sufficient distance from the motorway to allow later carriageway widening without future disruption.

Stephen Ladyman: Works to lay pipes alongside the northbound carriageway of the M18 motorway between junctions 3 and 4, is being carried out outside of the Highways Agency boundary by Yorkshire Water for the expansion of Nutwell waste water treatment plant.
	There are no current proposals to widen the M18 motorway, however the position of the pipes, approximately 15 metres from the boundary, would not have an adverse impact should there be any future widening schemes.

M62

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the M62 motorway between junctions 35 and 34 will be resurfaced; and what lane closures will be required.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency has no plans to carry out major resurfacing works on the M62 between junctions 35 and 34 in the near future. The following minor resurfacing works, to maintain the section in a safe condition, will be undertaken during November 2006:
	Patching work to the westbound carriageway near Whitley Bridge requiring a lane 1, 2 and 3 closure with hard shoulder running. Work commencing 20 November.
	Patching work to the westbound carriageway at Wynn Railway Bridge near Junction 35 Langham Interchange requiring a lane 1, 2 and 3 closure with hard shoulder running. Work commencing 6 November.
	A 400-metre stretch of resurfacing in Lane 1 westbound, west of Junction 35 Langham Interchange requiring lane 1 and 2 closure. Work commencing 6 November.
	All works will be carried out overnight between 8pm and 6am.

Off-road Bikes

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of registering and licensing off-road bikes.

Stephen Ladyman: My Department has not estimated the cost to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of registering and licensing off-road bikes.

Pollution-cutting Technology

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) assessment he has made of the effectiveness and  (b) estimate he has made of the cost of introducing pavements utilising titanium dioxide to reduce pollution in cities; if he will encourage local authorities to utilise pollution-cutting technology as an alternative to existing measures; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: No assessment has been made of the effectiveness or cost of using titanium dioxide to reduce pollution in cities. We are watching with interest the trials of the technology, such as that under way in the City of Westminster. Minimising the impact of transport on the environment is a priority, and we will consider in what ways it would be appropriate to encourage local authorities to take up this technology when the overall costs and benefits are clear. In particular, we will want to ensure that the environmental costs of concrete manufacture do not nullify any prospective gains.

Railways

Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers travelled on the west coast main line in each of the last five years; and what the total number of passenger miles travelled was in that period.

Tom Harris: Statistics on passenger rail journeys are published by the Office of Rail Regulation in National Rail Trends. The 2005-06 yearbook edition covers passenger journeys on each train operator, including Virgin West Coast, but figures are not available for the whole of the west coast main line.

Railways

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total amount of freight was moved by rail in each of the last 20 years.

Tom Harris: Statistics relating to the amount of rail freight moved in the years from 1986 to 2004 are published in the Transport Statistics Great Britain document which is available on the Department for Transport's website (www.dft.gov.uk). The equivalent information for 2005 is available in the rail trends document that the Office of Rail Regulation publishes on its website: www.rail-reg.gov.uk. Copies of both documents are held in the House Library.

Railways

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of rail track have been replaced in each of the last 20 years.

Tom Harris: This is an operational matter for Network Rail, as the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Gentleman should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his question.
	John Armitt
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	40 Melton Street
	London NW1 2EE

Railways

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total  (a) private and  (b) Government expenditure has been made on rail services in each of the last 20 years.

Tom Harris: Details of historic Government and private expenditure on rail are contained in National Rail Trends (NRT) copies of which are in the Library of the House. NRT is also available on the Office of Rail Regulation's website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.129

Railways

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger rail journeys were made in each of the last 30 years.

Tom Harris: Statistics on passenger rail journeys are published by the Office of Rail Regulation in National Rail Trends. Longer time series are available in the Department's publication Transport Statistics Great Britain. Both publications are available in the House Library.

Railways

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what Government spending on British Rail was in the last full year before privatisation; and what the most recent full year's subsidy was of  (a) the privatised rail companies and  (b) Network Rail or its predecessor.

Tom Harris: Details of historical Government expenditure on rail are contained in National Rail Trends (NRT) copies of which are in the Library of the House. NRT is also available on the Office of Rail Regulation's website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.129

Road Building

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what length of roads has been built in each year since 1979.

Stephen Ladyman: The Secretary of State has responsibility for motorways and trunk roads in England only. I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 19 December 2005,  Official Report, column 2321W and 27 June 2005,  Official Report, columns 1263-66W, for the information between 1997 and 2005. The total length of schemes completed on the trunk road network in England between 19 December 2005 and 12 October 2006 was 29.6 miles.
	Information for other roads is not available, except at a disproportionate cost.

Road Noise

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action the Government have taken to ensure the rural proofing of the policy on reducing noise problems from the trunk road network; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: No action has been taken on rural proofing the policy on reducing noise problems from the strategic road network. Where severe noise problems have been identified at locations alongside the existing network, resources have been targeted at addressing those locations where the noise levels are greatest and where greatest number of people would benefit from measures taken.

Safety Camera Partnerships

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many safety camera partnerships hold pre-driver education programmes; what the cost is of these programmes in each case; and what the names of the partnerships are.

Stephen Ladyman: Safety camera partnerships, as part of their annual operational case, inform the Department of plans they have for communications, which includes, education, training and publicity. Three safety camera partnerships are involved in pre-driver programmes, which are compliant with the netting off rules and guidance. These are:
	
		
			
			 Warwickshire 62,700 
			 North Wales 4,500 
			 Nottinghamshire 20,000 
		
	
	Many if not all safety camera partnerships are involved in pre-driver training/education in an ad hoc way working with their partners, such as road safety officers within local authorities and the police as part of their communications strategy. The Department does not hold detailed information on this.

Safety Camera Partnerships

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what legal authority and for what reason safety camera partnerships hold pre-driver education programmes; what legal remit they have to undertake such work; and from which part of his Department funding for the programmes came.

Stephen Ladyman: Safety camera partnerships are not a legal entity, but complement existing local authority and police statutory responsibilities and powers in respect of road safety. Communications activity is an important part of the safety camera programme and in order to help bring about a change in driver behaviour, Partnerships are encouraged to work with local agencies involved in road safety and to support wider road safety activities including driver education programmes. However, under the netting-off funding arrangements the Handbook of Rules and Guidance for the National Safety Camera Programme for England and Wales for 2006-07 permits only those costs directly linked to speed, red light running and/or safety camera enforcement to be reclaimed.

Speed Limits

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what responses he has received from the police to the Setting Local Speed Limits circular published in August 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has received no response from the police to its new guidance on setting local speed limits.
	As explained in the Department's decision letter following public consultation, published in conjunction with the guidance, the Association of Chief Police Officers was represented on a stakeholder group which assisted the Department in compiling the new guidance. A summary of the police responses to the public consultation draft of the guidance is provided in section 8 of the Department's decision letter.

Speed Limits

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to make changes to the national speed limit, with particular reference to newly qualified drivers.

Stephen Ladyman: There are no plans to make changes to the national speed limit, nor are there plans for newly qualified drivers to be subject to maximum speeds below the national speed limits.

Sussex Coastal Services

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what opportunity for journey time reductions for Sussex Coastal Services he assesses that the Brighton mainline utilisation strategy may afford.

Tom Harris: The DfT published a consultation document on 29 September 2006 which set out four options for implementation of the Brighton main line route utilisation strategy [RUS]. The principal focus of the RUS is on delivery of increased capacity to relieve crowding on peak London commuting services and improved operational performance. However, all the options are also expected to deliver an improvement in journey times between Sussex coast stations and London termini due to the provision of separate services to and from the east and west coastway routes in place of the present combined services. Elimination of the time penalty when trains split or join at Haywards Heath is expected to reduce the overall journey time of these trains by between three and seven minutes, though this is subject to confirmation as the details of the new timetable are developed.

Untaxed Vehicles

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being taken to improve the detection rate of vehicles using British roads without a valid tax disc; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) operate a fleet of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras which are an integral part of the agency's commitment to the reduction of vehicle excise duty (VED) evasion. These mobile systems can be used night or day to target potential unlicensed evaders. They are used in conjunction in combined operations with the police, and other agencies. Such operations can also contribute to road safety as many unlicensed vehicles have mechanical defects, which are identified, and the appropriate action taken against the driver.
	The DVLA ANPR units also operate independently throughout the country and will continue to be used as a high visibility deterrent against unlicensed offenders for the foreseeable future.
	In addition and of increasing benefit is the initiative to enforce VED collection through a data match of vehicles on our record with the record of VED paid. This enforcement from the record is backed up by penalty notices and wheel clamping and has made a significant contribution to our success in reducing evasion of VED to 3.6 per cent. by 2005.
	The DVLA also undertake with their partners NCR wide ranging wheelclamping operations targeting unlicensed vehicles. DVLA have enforcement field officers based around the country who also target unlicensed vehicles.

Vehicle Insurance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 September 2006,  Official Report, column 2524W, on vehicle insurance, if he will take steps to collect information on uninsured vehicles on a regional basis.

Stephen Ladyman: The Motor Insurers Bureau collects detailed information on uninsured drivers on a regional basis and this is made available to us and to the police whenever required.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Key Workers

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many  (a) officials and  (b) others working for him have key-worker status; and what percentage this represents in each category.

John Prescott: None.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Capital Funding

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how much capital funding has been allocated to  (a) Hull local education authority and  (b) East Riding of Yorkshire local education authority in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  which schools in  (a) Hull local education authority and  (b) East Riding of Yorkshire local education authority have received funding for capital projects in each year since 1997; how much was allocated, and for what purpose, in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This information is not held centrally in the form requested. Much of the Department's capital resources have been allocated to schools and local authorities by needs related formulae, so that investment decisions could be taken locally in accordance with locally prepared asset management plans. Capital allocations since 1997 for these local authorities and their schools are set out as follows:
	
		
			   million 
			   Kingston-upon-Hull( 1)  East Riding of Yorkshire( 1) 
			 1996-97 0.9 0.5 
			 1997-98 (2)5.4 1.3 
			 1998-99 2.6 5.2 
			 1999-2000 6.3 (3)37.0 
			 2000-01 9.5 16.2 
			 2001-02 14.4 11.2 
			 2002-03 13.6 16.2 
			 2003-04 10.7 20.4 
			 2004-05 10.9 21.6 
			 2005-06 8.4 17.0 
			 2006-07 6.5 26.3 
			 2007-08 6.7 14.8 
			 (1) Annual fluctuations are largely due to some programmes, such as the Private Finance Initiative and the Targeted Capital Fund, recording the value of projects in the year the project began, while actual payments are phased over a longer period. (2) Includes PFI project of 3.9 million in 1997-98. (3) Includes PFI project of 26 million in 1999-2000. 
		
	
	In addition to the above investment, Kingston-upon-Hull local authority joined the Building Schools for the Future programme in wave two. East Riding of Yorkshire is currently due to join the programme in one of the waves seven, eight or nine. Building Schools for the Future aims to renew or remodel all secondary school provision over the lifetime of the programme. The programme is expected to have 15 waves, with wave one starting in 2005-06.

City Academies

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria and guidelines are used when choosing sponsors for city academies.

Jim Knight: Academies are established with the involvement of sponsors from the voluntary, private or faith sectors. Sponsors must be able to show a commitment to providing the highest standard of education for all pupils and to provide 2 million towards the cost of each academy, or 1.5 million where they have sponsored three previous academies.
	Independent consultants carry out a thorough due diligence check on all potential sponsors during the pre-feasibility stage, and Ministers apply a public interest test to sponsors on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the funding is from an appropriate source. We give preference to British or foreign sponsors with business interests in the UK; who are long standing UK residents; or who have businesses interests in jurisdictions with effective and open business governance where it is easier to assess risk against the guidance.
	Sponsorship is purely philanthropic. Sponsors cannot make a profit and the schools cannot charge fees. Sponsors, like all academy trustees, are bound by charitable law to act in the best interests of their academies. Parents are consulted about academy projects and potential sponsors during feasibility.

Community Libraries (Buckinghamshire)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when announcements on arrangements for  (a) community libraries and  (b) family learning will be made in relation to applications from Buckinghamshire.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	The community libraries programme was launched on 9 October 2006 and the family learning programme was launched on 19 September 2006. Both programmes are available throughout England.
	Community Libraries is open to all local authority library services through a competitive application process.
	Family learning grants will be awarded through a competitive application process which is open to statutory, voluntary and private sector organisations (statutory and private sector applicants must apply in partnership with a voluntary sector organisation).
	The Big Lottery Fund expect to be in a position to make the first grant awards under the family learning programme in the first half of 2007 and under the community libraries programme in the second half of 2007.

Curriculum Online

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what date work on the Curriculum Online website began; and on what date it received its first hit.

Jim Knight: Work began on the Curriculum Online website in May 2002. The site received its first hit in December 2002 when it was previewed by a controlled group of 50,000 users (teachers and suppliers) and was officially launched by my right hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Charles Clarke) at the BETT show on January 9 2003.

Curriculum Online

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what contracts and sub-contracts were awarded to set up and maintain Curriculum Online; and what the  (a) value and  (b) duration was in each case.

Jim Knight: Over 100 individual contracts have been awarded over the last four years to support all the different aspects of Curriculum Online such as website design, infrastructure, portal development, hosting and distribution, eLearning Credits payment system, metadata schema, tagging tool, vocabularies, application support, technical standards, helpdesks, evaluation, user testing, consultancy support, registration and compliance, legal services, marketing and communications, copywriting/pr/web, design/creative, print/production, advertising, sponsorship/promotion, display materials, promotional video, exhibitions/events and so on.
	Due to the scope of the request, we are unable to reply on the grounds of costs. We estimate that the cost of processing the request exceeds the disproportionate cost threshold (DCT) of 700.

Curriculum Online

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the  (a) set up costs were and  (b) maintenance costs are of Curriculum Online.

Jim Knight: The following table gives a detailed breakdown of both set up and running costs for Curriculum Online and eLearning Credits (eLCs) from 2002 to the present.
	
		
			   million 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 eLCs 30 100 100 100 (1)100 
			 Set up  costs 5 over two years(2) n/a n/a n/a 
			 Running costs n/a n/a 2.5 (3)2.85 1.7 
			 (1) Of which 75 million ring fenced. (2) Includes running costs. (3) Includes 350,000 for independent product evaluations

Education Costs

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the  (a) mean and  (b) median costs were of educating a child who was (i) in local authority care and (ii) in prison in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not collect this information.

Emotional and Behavioural Disorders

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what guidance is offered to  (a) local education authorities and  (b) head teachers on dealing with children with emotional and behavioural disorders;
	(2)  what measures are in place to ensure children with emotional and behavioural disorders are taught in an environment suitable for their condition.

Parmjit Dhanda: DfES guidance relating to children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) is directed to both local authorities and head teachers. This includes the SEN Code of Practice (2001), and Promoting Children's Mental Health within Early Years and School Settings (2001). With the Department's BESD Working Group, which includes head teachers, leaders of pupil referral units, educational psychologists, representatives from CAMHS and key voluntary and professional organisations, we are currently considering further, targeted guidance for schools.
	In addition to guidance, specialist training materials and opportunities for accreditation have been made available for some 500 staff across the country who have particular responsibilities for BESD.
	Our guidance on exclusion from school also makes it clear that schools must do their best to ensure that the necessary provision is made for pupils with special educational needs and that, other than in the most exceptional circumstances, schools should avoid permanently excluding pupils with statements. We will be revising our guidance on school behaviour policies to strengthen advice on making reasonable adjustments for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
	On suitable environments for children with BESD, the SEN Code of Practice requires all local authorities to provide appropriate settings, either through mainstream schools, BESD special schools, or PRUs, with a flexible continuum of provision to meet the particular needs of children with BESD. Where a child has complex needs the statutory framework makes clear the need for children to be assessed individually and for authorities to take into consideration the views of parents.
	Further details on the Government's programme for BESD will shortly be announced in our response to the House of Commons Education and Skills Committee SEN Third Report of Session 2005-06.

Emotional and Behavioural Disorders

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children in each local education authority area, diagnosed with emotional and behavioural disorders were being taught in a mainstream educational facility in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many places in each local education authority area were available for children with emotional and behaviour disorders in England in the last period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: Information on the number of places available for children with behaviour, emotional and social difficulties is not collected centrally.
	Information was collected from schools on pupils who are supported at School Action Plus and those pupils with a statement of special educational needs (SEN) about their main or primary need and, if appropriate, their secondary need for the first time in 2004.
	There are a number of sensitivities about categorising pupils in this way. It is important that anyone using the data should be aware of the concerns and also understand the limitations of the data's reliability and validity. There are a range of factors which may affect the data recorded, including:
	Local interpretation of definitions
	Classification of children with multiple needs
	Differences in diagnoses between education and health professionals
	Availability of special school provisions in Authorities
	A table showing information on the number of pupils being taught in a maintained mainstream school who have statements of special educational needs or are supported at School Action Plus and who have behaviour, emotional and social difficulties as their primary need has been placed in the House Library.

Emotional and Behavioural Disorders

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding was made available in each local education authority area, for each child at facilities for those with emotional and behavioural disorders in England in the last period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The Department does not collect this information.

Excluded Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of children  (a) excluded from school and  (b) in local authority care who (i) become prostitutes and (ii) go into prison.

Jim Knight: At 30 September 2005 there were 44,700 children who had been looked after continuously for at least 20 months by English local authorities. 34,800 of these children were of school age and of these 310 (or 1 per cent.) received a permanent exclusion.
	Information on the number of these children who become prostitutes or go into prison is not collected centrally.

Excluded Children

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many black  (a) male and  (b) female pupils were excluded (i) temporarily and (ii) permanently from a maintained secondary school in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained secondary schools: Number of exclusions by black ethnic origin and gender( 1 ) 2000-01 to 2004-05, England 
			   Maintained secondary schools, pupils of black ethnic origin ( 2, 3) 
			   Permanent exclusions( 1)  Fixed period exclusions 
			   Boys  Girls  Total  Boys  Girls  Total 
			 2000-01 490 150 640
			 2001-02(4) 370 140 510
			 2002-03(4) 370 110 470
			 2003-04(4) 430 120 550 9,780 4,140 13,920 
			 2004-05(4) 390 110 490 11,380 4,530 15,920 
			 (1) The number of permanent exclusions are known to have been under-reported by schools in each year since 2000-01. The numbers shown here for permanent exclusions are as reported by schools. The data are unconfirmed and known to be incomplete. (2) Includes pupils aged 5 and over. (3) Includes pupils of Black Caribbean, Black African and Black Other ethnic origin. (4) A new ethnic coding framework was introduced in the 2002 and 2003 Census'. The new ethnic coding frameworks included a new category for pupils of Mixed ethnic origin. In 2001-02 and 2002-03 both the old and the new ethnic codesets were used. This could have caused some disruption to timeseries data. .. Not available, 2003-04 is the first full year for which fixed period exclusions data are available  Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.  Source: Schools' Census and Termly Exclusions Survey

Foreign Languages

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students at age 14 have taken up a foreign language at Putteridge high school in Luton.

Jim Knight: Data on the number of pupils who have taken up a foreign language at age 14 is not collected by the Department. Therefore the information requested is not available.

Foreign Students

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many foreign students of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school age are in maintained schools in (i) Ruislip-Northwood constituency, (ii) each London borough and (iii) England.

Jim Knight: Information on the number of foreign pupils in schools is not collected centrally.
	A table showing the number of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English follows.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1) : number and percentage of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English as at January 2006 
			Pupils of compulsory school age and above( 2, 3) 
			Primary schools  Secondary schools 
			Number of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English  Percentage of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English( 4)  Number of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English  Percentage of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English( 4) 
			  England(5) 419,600 12.5 314,950 9.5 
			   
			  London(5) 189,890 39.1 141,780 33.5 
			   
			   Inner London( 5) 90,780 52.3 60,540 47.4 
			 202 Camden 5,039 57.8 4,120 41.4 
			 201 City of London 117 65.4 n/a n/a 
			 204 Hackney 7,282 53.7 3,359 48.1 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 3,188 44.0 2,529 36.9 
			 309 Haringey 8,910 53.5 5,349 45.9 
			 206 Islington 4,527 41.0 3,645 45.2 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 2,830 51.7 1,512 43.0 
			 208 Lambeth 7,052 46.5 3,174 39.4 
			 209 Lewisham 4,985 29.6 2,737 24.9 
			 316 Newham 16,346 71.0 11,488 62.9 
			 210 Southwark 6,927 39.6 4,637 45.3 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 12,627 75.5 9,461 65.9 
			 212 Wandsworth 5,119 39.1 3,779 36.2 
			 213 Westminster 5,835 69.3 4,751 56.6 
			   
			   Outer London( 5) 99,100 31.8 81,240 27.5 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 3,366 24.0 2,358 18.7 
			 302 Barnet 8,001 39.2 6,621 33.9 
			 303 Bexley 1,385 8.4 1,491 8.1 
			 304 Brent 10,441 58.2 9,019 54.9 
			 305 Bromley 1,187 5.9 1,129 5.0 
			 306 Croydon 5,320 22.6 3,414 18.3 
			 307 Ealing 10,551 53.6 7,367 48.5 
			 308 Enfield 8,538 39.5 7,783 35.1 
			 203 Greenwich 4,819 30.1 3,777 26.0 
			 310 Harrow 7,675 47.3 4,019 44.5 
			 311 Havering 814 5.0 623 3.8 
			 312 Hillingdon 5,264 28.8 4,319 25.3 
			 313 Hounslow 7,058 49.1 8,587 51.8 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 2,111 23.4 1,935 20.2 
			 315 Merton 3,290 30.4 2,053 23.9 
			 317 Redbridge 9,409 50.5 9,196 44.5 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 1,579 15.3 976 13.6 
			 319 Sutton 1,323 11.4 1,736 10.7 
			 320 Waltham Forest 6,972 42.4 4,832 34.3 
			   
			  Ruislip-Northwood parliamentary constituency 789 13.9 693 12.5 
			 n/a = not applicableno schools of this type. (1 )Includes middle schools as deemed. (2 )Pupils aged 5 and over are classified according to whether their first language is known or believed to be English or other than English. (3 )Excludes dually registered pupils4. (4 )The number of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English expressed as a percentage of all pupils aged five and over. (5 )National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Schools' Census

Free Nursery Places

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the impact on private and independent nursery providers of the new code of practice on the funding of free nursery places for three and four-year-olds.

Beverley Hughes: The single substantive change to the delivery of the free early education entitlement made in the 2006 code of practice was the extension of the free entitlement from 33 to 38 weeks. We conducted a full public consultation on the 2006 code from June to October 2005, to which 585 responses were received, the majority from private providers who were generally content with the proposed extension to 38 weeks. A summary of responses is available at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conResults.cfm? consultationld=1329
	Additional funding of 82 million in financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08 has been made available to local authorities to deliver the additional weeks and a number of measures were included in the code of practice to aid the transition, to support parental choice and to reflect provider circumstances. These included: allowing that the 38 weeks provision could be delivered by a single provider or by providers in cooperation; indicating that where a parent decided explicitly that they wanted to take their provision with a provider offering only 33 weeks they could do so and the provider would be paid for that period; and recommending that the transition be phased over a year.

GCSE

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to ensure that more pupils achieve grade C or above in English and mathematics at GCSE level.

Jim Knight: We are committed to increasing the number of pupils achieving grade C or above at GCSE level. Over 365,000 pupils are achieving grade C or above in English, and nearly 329,000 are doing so in mathematics. Compared to 1997, around 52,000 more pupils are now achieving five or more A*-C GCSEs including English and mathematics. For the first time, in 2008, local authorities and schools will be required to set targets for the proportion of pupils achieving five A*-C GCSEs, including English and mathematics.
	Throughout all key stages we have made efforts to ensure that standards of attainment in English and mathematics continue to rise. We know from experience that children who achieve level 4 (the expected level for their age) or above in English and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 tests are more likely to achieve grade C or above in their English and mathematics GCSEs. The reforms we are pushing through at primary level, particularly the renewed primary framework for literacy and mathematics, will play an important part in helping children achieve more at GCSE.
	The secondary national strategy is improving the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom by providing a comprehensive professional development programme for teachers, including training, materials and support from local consultants who are experts in their field. Support is also available to help teachers deliver effective tailored interventions for pupils who have fallen behind, particularly in English and mathematics. This includes additional funding, structured teaching resources for use with individuals and small groups, and training on how to use these resources effectively. We are also piloting a model, Study Plus, of extra support for key stage 4 pupils at risk of missing a grade C.
	The 14-19 education and skills White Paper set out our proposals to strengthen and improve GCSEs, with a particular emphasis on English and mathematics. We will continue work to reform mathematics and improve motivation and progression. In response to Professor Adrian Smith's post-14 maths inquiry, we have withdrawn the three-tier mathematics GCSE and replaced it with a two-tier qualification, meaning that all pupils will have the opportunity of achieving a grade C; and have established a national centre for excellence in the teaching of mathematics. We are also making changes to the mathematics curriculum to better meet the needs of diverse employers and individual pupils. As part of our overhaul of literacy and numeracy qualifications, mathematics and English GCSEs will be restructured to place functional skills at their heart. In addition, the review of the key stage 3 national curriculum will provide greater flexibility for teachers to meet pupils' needs and opportunities to concentrate on securing the basics in English and mathematics.

Geography

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make it his policy to retain the requirement for fieldwork as part of the course for A level geography; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The recently revised A level geography criteria requires students to develop the ability to carry out research, fieldwork and out-of-classroom work. Therefore, fieldwork will remain an important part of geography A level programmes.

Head Teachers

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many head teacher posts are shared between schools, broken down by local authority area.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not held centrally. It is for schools, governing bodies and local authorities to decide upon the leadership team that is most appropriate for their circumstances. Information for Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

Higher Education Funding Council for England

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what consultation there was with the Higher Education Funding Council for England on the closure of Bristol university's summer schools for disabled people.

Bill Rammell: I have been informed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) that no consultations have taken place between it and the university on this issue. Since universities are autonomous and independent bodies, decisions about the type of provision to offer students are a matter for institutions themselves.

Housing Overcrowding

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment has been made of the impact of statutory housing overcrowding on the educational attainment of children at GCSE level.

Jim Knight: A research review 'The Impact of Overcrowding on Health and Education: A Review of the Evidence and Literature, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004' found some indication that there is a relationship between overcrowding and children's educational attainment, and between overcrowding and children's social and emotional development. However, the research evidence on the effects of overcrowding is limited and often confounded by other factors, such as poverty.

Isle of Sheppey Academy

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the consultancy plans for an academy on the Isle of Sheppey followed the Treasury rules for such projects.

Jim Knight: Public consultation on all academies' proposals must meet criteria set by the Department for Education and Skills in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultation. The minimum 12 weeks of formal public consultation on the Isle of Sheppey Academy proposal has only recently started and will not conclude until the end of December 2006. Consultation with key stakeholders, including parents and the local community, is a vital and continuing feature of all academy projects. There is also a statutory requirement that we consult the relevant local authority before an academy is established.

Mixed Year Groups

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many mixed year groups there were in schools in  (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire local education authority area and  (b) in England in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many mixed year group classes there were in schools in  (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire local education authority area and  (b) in England in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The available information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools: number of mixed year group classes and pupils in them( 1,2 ) 2003 to 2006, position in January each year 
			   East Riding of Yorkshire local authority area  England 
			   Maintained primary  Maintained secondary  Maintained primary  Maintained secondary 
			   Classes  Pupils  Classes  Pupils  Classes  Pupils  Classes  Pupils 
			 2003 336 8,640 1 4 35,162 894,411 608 7,111 
			 2004 356 9,045 2 9 34,906 889,699 646 7,937 
			 2005 307 7,810 3 18 33,979 863,761 836 11,133 
			 2006 310 7,864 2 7 32,398 824,718 726 9,552 
			 (1) One teacher classes. (2 )Classes as taught during a single selected period on the day of the census in January each year.  Source:  Schools Census 
		
	
	Comparable information on mixed year group classes is not available prior to 2003 due to a change in the underlying data collection method.
	It is up to schools to decide for themselves how best to meet their pupils' educational needs. Whether classes are organised in age groupings or in mixed age settings, it is important that teaching and learning is delivered at an appropriate level for the child.
	The DfES published guidance last month to help teachers formulate the most appropriate grouping strategies for the pupils. It sets out the advantages and disadvantages of different pupil grouping methods to help teachers choose which strategy will suit them best. We will continue, through the National Strategies and our Gifted and Talented programme, to offer practical advice and guidance to schools on classroom practice so that they can make decisions about how to use pupil setting and grouping intelligently as part of their overall approach to tailoring learning to meet the needs of all their pupils.

Phonics Scheme

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether the evaluation of the pilot phonics scheme announced on 26 July 2005 included a comparison of the effectiveness of alternative interventions;
	(2)  whether the evaluation of the pilot phonics scheme announced on 26 July 2005 included the use of standardised reading and spelling tests;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the pilot phonics scheme announced on 26 July 2005.

Jim Knight: The phonics pilot scheme referred to (the early reading development pilot) was designed to test whether phonic work could be taught faster and more systematically to bring about better literacy outcomes for children while still maintaining the benefits of the broader foundation stage curriculum. The scheme, which began before Jim Rose's report was published, was based on existing primary national strategy teaching materials and therefore did not generate information on the effectiveness of alternative interventions.
	In line with statutory guidance for the age group involved (four and five-year-olds), children were assessed against the relevant early learning goals within the foundation stage profile. Teachers regularly assessed children's progress in acquiring knowledge of the 44 phonemes (sounds) in the English language and in their ability to use this knowledge to read and spell unfamiliar words. Feedback from the programme suggests the approaches used have led to improvements in the development of phonic knowledge and skills, without compromise to children's wider development. An independent consultant reviewed the work undertaken by schools and early years settings as part of the pilot, looking at areas such as data and the progress made by practitioners and children in following the pilot approaches. This confirmed that there had been a positive impact on children's progress and on practitioners' confidence and expectations of children's attainment.
	We are implementing Jim Rose's recommendations through the new primary framework for literacy and mathematics and will be using the outcomes of the pilot to help inform implementation.

Religious Denominations

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his Department records the religious denominations of  (a) teachers and staff and  (b) pupils in (i) faith and (ii) non-faith schools.

Jim Knight: The information is not collected centrally.

School Buildings

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he gives to local education authorities on the installation of fire sprinklers in  (a) new schools,  (b) extensions to schools and  (c) existing school premises; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Guidance on the installation of fire sprinklers in schools is included in the Department's Managing School Facilities Guide 6, Fire Safety (see www.teachernet.gov.uk/fire), published in 2000.
	We include further information on sprinklers in our new guide Building Bulletin 100 (BB 100), Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools. This is still in draft form and is being revised following public consultation. One of the messages that came back from that exercise was the need for the Department to issue more detailed guidance on the use of sprinklers in schools. Consequently we commissioned a further study to be carried out.
	Work on this is nearing completion and further guidance on sprinklers will be incorporated in the final version of BB 100. We expect to publish this early in 2007.

Schoolchildren (Bristol)

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 13 September 2006,  Official Report, column 2387W, on schoolchildren (Bristol), what the figures were in 1997.

Jim Knight: We are unable to supply figures relating to 1997. The Department did not collect the individual level information required to produce these figures until 2002. Figures for 2002 have been provided. We are unable to provide residency based figures for children educated in the Independent sector as the Department does not collect individual level information for pupils in the Independent sector.
	The information for primary and secondary schools in the maintained sector has been provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Primary( 1)  Secondary( 2)  Total 
			 Number of pupils(3) residing within Bristol local authority 2002 31,451 20,924 52,375 
			 Number of pupils(3) residing within Bristol local authority who attend schools outside of the local authority 2002 1,260 4,067 5,327 
			 Percentage of pupils(3) residing within Bristol local authority who attend schools outside of the local authority 2002 4.0 19.4 10.2 
			 Percentage point change 2002-06 +0.1 +0.8 +0.8 
			 (1) Includes primary and middle deemed primary. (2) Includes secondary, middle deemed secondary, City Technology Colleges and Academies. (3) Includes pupils aged 5 to 15 years, solely registered or main registration of dually registered pupils, excludes boarders.  Source:  School Census

School Leavers

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what intervention measures are in place to support secondary school pupils identified by education services as being at high risk of becoming socially excluded or engaging in antisocial behaviour when they leave school.

Jim Knight: Schools and local authorities employ a range of measures to support such pupils. These include pastoral support programmes, learning mentors and behaviour support workers in schools, managed moves to another school where appropriate, learning support units in schools and parenting orders or contracts where there is evidence of poor parenting.
	Many schools are working together in partnerships, with funding devolved from local authorities, to improve behaviour and tackle persistent truancy. We expect all secondary schools to be working together in this way by September 2007 and evidence from existing partnerships shows that they have made significant reductions in the need to exclude pupils.
	The Every Child Matters and Youth Matters reform programmes are refocusing children and young people's services to deliver early intervention and prevention of social exclusion, antisocial behaviour and other entrenched problems. We are putting in place more positive things to do and better places to go for young people in the community, improving the support available to parents and reforming targeted youth support for vulnerable teenagers.

Schools (Science)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of the designation of a school as a specialist science school on the number of pupils undertaking A-levels in science subjects.

Jim Knight: There has been no assessment of the effect of science college status on the number of pupils taking science A-levels. Science colleges are expected to set targets for the percentage of students attaining relevant qualifications post-16, including A-levels. Progress against these targets will be important considerations when schools seek resignation of specialist status.
	The recent Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014: Next Steps document sets out a range of activities the Government are putting in place to encourage more pupils to study science at A-level and beyond.

Special Educational Needs

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school-aged children have had a dual placement in both a special school and a mainstream school in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The available information on the number of pupils of compulsory school age with dual registration status is given in the table.
	Pupils who are dually registered at two schools will generally spend more time at one school (dual main registration) than at the other (dual subsidiary registration). A detailed breakdown of dual registrations is not available from all school types.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary and all special schools, pupil referral units and independent schools number of dually registered pupils. Position in January each year: 2002 to 2006England 
			   Headcount of pupils aged five to 15( 1) 
			   Maintained primary and secondary schools( 2)  Maintained special schools (excluding general hospital)  General hospital schools  Non-maintained special schools  Pupil referral units  Independent schools 
			   Dual (Main)  Dual (Subsidiary)  Dual (Main)  Dual (Subsidiary)  Dual( 4)  Dual (Main)  Dual (Subsidiary)  Dual( 4)  Dual( 4) 
			 2002(3) (5) (5) 600 580 870 10 (5) 4,920 (5) 
			 2003 1,050 610 870 570 950 10 n/a 5,370 (5) 
			 2004 3,060 1,130 900 980 870 10 n/a 7,130 (5) 
			 2005 2,390 1,470 850 1,040 890 10 10 7,870 (5) 
			 2006 3,970 1,810 1,010 1,180 930 10 10 8,160 (5) 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) Age at the start of the school year. (2) Includes middle schools as deemed. (3) Due to differences and changes in the underlying data collection, the number of pupils with dual subsidiary registration are not available for non-maintained special schools for 2002, and general hospital schools for all years. (4) Includes both main and subsidiary dual registrations. (5) One or two pupils.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Schools' Census

Student Loans

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people owe money to the Student Loans Company, broken down by those who owe  (a) 1,000-3,000,  (b) 3,001-6,000,  (c) 6,001-10,000,  (d) 10,001-15,000 and  (e) over 15,001.

Bill Rammell: The table shows UK borrowers with publicly-owned student loans in March 2006 by bands of amount owed.
	
		
			  000 
			   Income-contingent loans  Mortgage-style loans 
			 Less than 1,000 108.2 147.2 
			 1,000-3,000 428.8 225.7 
			 3,001-6,000 452.0 173.1 
			 6,001-10,000 609.6 44.6 
			 10,001-15,000 540.5 2.0 
			 Greater than 15,000 152.0  
			 All borrowers 2,291.1 592.5 
			  Source:  Student Loans Company 
		
	
	The table shows all borrowers, including those not yet due to repay and those below the relevant income threshold for repayment who entered higher education up to academic year 2005/06. Borrowers are shown by the size of their loan balance in March 2006.

Summer Schools (Disabled People)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what consultation there was with the Department for Education and Skills on the closure of Bristol University's summer schools for disabled people.

Bill Rammell: There have been no consultations between the Department and the University of Bristol on this issue. Since universities are autonomous and independent bodies, decisions about the type of provision to offer students are a matter for institutions themselves.

Sure Start

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Sure Start programmes there are; and how many children are covered by such programmes in  (a) each constituency and  (b) county.

Beverley Hughes: There were 524 Sure Start local programmes in England covering over 420,000 children under four. Over 400 of these are now designated as Sure Start children's centres and we expect all Sure Start local programmes to become children's centres in due course and contribute to our target to create 3,500 children's centres by 2010. The 1,000(th) children's centre was awarded recently, seeking out interim milestone ahead of schedule.
	We do not hold information on the constituencies or counties covered by each local programme. The following table lists the number of Sure Start local programmes in each local authority and the number of children under four covered.
	
		
			  Local authority  Number of local programmes  Children covered 
			 Barking and Dagenham 4 2,585 
			 Barnet 1 722 
			 Barnsley 5 3,065 
			 Bath and NE Somerset 1 842 
			 Bedfordshire 1 762 
			 Bexley 1 802 
			 Birmingham 12 8,893 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 5 3,878 
			 Blackpool 3 1,527 
			 Bolton 4 3,479 
			 Bournemouth 1 640 
			 Bradford 8 7,438 
			 Brent 3 2,684 
			 Brighton and Hove 2 1,022 
			 Bristol 4 3,968 
			 Bromley 1 643 
			 Buckinghamshire 1 1,020 
			 Bury 1 819 
			 Calderdale 3 2,185 
			 Cambridgeshire 2 1,301 
			 Camden 5 4,948 
			 Cheshire 4 3,253 
			 Cornwall 7 4,792 
			 Coventry 4 3,517 
			 Croydon 1 1,339 
			 Cumbria 5 4,035 
			 Darlington 2 1,419 
			 Derby City 4 2,534 
			 Derbyshire 5 3,969 
			 Devon 4 2,795 
			 Doncaster 6 3,898 
			 Dorset 1 794 
			 Dudley 3 2,281 
			 Durham County 12 8,945 
			 Ealing 2 1,914 
			 East Riding of Yorks 1 872 
			 East Sussex 6 3,539 
			 Enfield 1 1,849 
			 Essex 4 2,584 
			 Gateshead 4 2,683 
			 Gloucestershire 2 1,713 
			 Greenwich 5 3,675 
			 Hackney 7 6,925 
			 Halton 5 4,506 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3 2,193 
			 Hampshire 2 1,660 
			 Haringey 6 4,871 
			 Hartlepool 3 2,234 
			 Havering 1 902 
			 Herefordshire 1 720 
			 Hillingdon 1 640 
			 Hounslow 1 640 
			 Isle of White 1 1,027 
			 Islington 6 4,973 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2 1,741 
			 Kent 9 6,719 
			 Kingston Upon Hull 7 6,428 
			 Kirklees 5 3,663 
			 Knowsley 5 3,169 
			 Lambeth 6 5,116 
			 Lancashire 17 1,2342 
			 Leeds 8 6,026 
			 Leicester City 6 4,922 
			 Leicestershire 1 801 
			 Lewisham 5 3,427 
			 Lincolnshire 7 4,987 
			 Liverpool 10 8,081 
			 Luton 1 741 
			 Manchester 11 8,559 
			 Medway Towns 1 1,124 
			 Merton 1 739 
			 Middlesbrough c 3,320 
			 Milton Keynes 1 798 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 7 4,887 
			 Newham 8 12,579 
			 Norfolk 8 5,425 
			 North East Lincolnshire c 3,240 
			 North Lincolnshire 2 1,656 
			 North Somerset 1 1,026 
			 North Tyneside 3 2,262 
			 North Yorkshire 2 1,559 
			 Northamptonshire 4 2,623 
			 Northumberland c 4,473 
			 Nottingham City 8 5,837 
			 Nottinghamshire 9 6,984 
			 Oldham 5 3,211 
			 Oxford City 1 541 
			 Peterborough 3 2,394 
			 Plymouth 4 3,642 
			 Portsmouth 2 1,747 
			 Reading 1 780 
			 Redbridge 1 904 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 4 2,733 
			 Rochdale 5 4,704 
			 Rotherham 3 2,465 
			 Salford 5 3,236 
			 Sandwell 7 5,842 
			 Sefton 4 2,772 
			 Sheffield 8 6,386 
			 Shropshire 2 1,394 
			 Slough 1 695 
			 Solihull 1 1,059 
			 Somerset 3 2,139 
			 South Tyneside 5 2,554 
			 Southampton 3 2,019 
			 Southend on Sea 1 654 
			 Southwark 7 6,592 
			 St. Helens 5 12,443 
			 Staffordshire 5 4,158 
			 Stockport 1 412 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 5 3,916 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 6 4,946 
			 Suffolk 3 2,540 
			 Sunderland 7 5,463 
			 Sutton 1 865 
			 Swindon 1 804 
			 Tameside 4 2,864 
			 Telford and Wrekin 2 1,465 
			 Thurrock 1 878 
			 Torbay 2 1,458 
			 Tower Hamlets 7 6,505 
			 Trafford 1 429 
			 Wakefield 4 2,953 
			 Walsall 5 3,906 
			 Waltham Forest 4 3,458 
			 Wandsworth 2 1,765 
			 Warrington 2 1,494 
			 Warwickshire 2 1,120 
			 West Sussex t 1,552 
			 Westminster 3 2,536 
			 Wigan 2 1,471 
			 Wirral 4 3,103 
			 Wolverhampton 5 4,226 
			 Worcestershire 3 2,190 
			 York 1 598 
			 Total 524 420,149

Teachers

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of newly qualified teachers have entered the fee paying sector after qualifying each year for the past three years.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the number and percentage of final year trainees gaining qualified teacher status (QTS) awarded by academic years 2002/03 to 2004/05 and known to be employed in a teaching post in the non-maintained sector six months into the subsequent academic year.
	
		
			  Final Year Trainees( 1)  gaining QTS award by academic year and known to be employed in a teaching post in the non-maintained sector six months into the subsequent academic year 
			   Academic year of qualification 
			   2002/03  2003/04  2004/05 
			 Number 929 1,039 1,162 
			 Percentage(2) 4 4 4 
			 (1) Includes those trained through English ITT colleges, the Open University and SCITTs and excludes those qualifying by employment based routes (EBRs). (2) Percentage calculation includes response whose employment status was unknown and also those in a teaching post but the sector is unknown.  Source:  Performance Profiles Final year trainee data, awarded QTS Mainstream data (Excluding EBR)

Teachers

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many mature entrants there have been to the teaching profession for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the number of qualified teachers entering full or part-time regular maintained sector service broken down by type and age in each year from 2002-03 to 2004-05, the latest information available.
	
		
			  Full and part-time( 1)  qualified teacher entrants to maintained sector service by type and age, 2002-03 to 2004-05, England 
			  Age on entry  Newly qualified  New to the maintained sector( 3)  Returning to the maintained sector( 4)  Total entrants 
			  2004-05( 5) 
			 Under 25 8,190 710 70 8,970 
			 25 to 29 7,370 1,460 1,630 10,460 
			 30 to 34 2,810 1,270 2,420 6,500 
			 35 to 39 1,910 1,280 2,050 5,240 
			 40 to 45 1,550 1,240 1,720 4,510 
			 45 to 50 780 1,270 1,690 3,730 
			 Over 50 350 2,460 3,810 6,620 
			 Total 22,950 9,680 13,390 46,020 
			  
			  2003-04( 5) 
			 Under 25 8,880 500 90 9,470 
			 25 to 29 6,850 1,250 1,420 9,520 
			 30 to 34 2,730 1,190 2,040 5,960 
			 35 to 39 1,980 1,220 1,690 4,890 
			 40 to 45 1,570 1,290 1,490 4,350 
			 45 to 50 890 1,510 1,520 3,910 
			 Over 50 340 2,460 3,370 6,170 
			 Total 23,240 9,410 11,620 44,270 
			  
			  2002-03 
			 Under 25 8,920 680 90 9,690 
			 25 to 29 5,850 1,510 1,580 8,930 
			 30 to 34 2,430 1,240 2,120 5,790 
			 35 to 39 1,910 1,220 1,790 4,920 
			 40 to 45 1,490 1,310 1,620 4,410 
			 45 to 50 660 1,620 1,810 4,080 
			 Over 50 300 2,350 3,740 6,390 
			 Total 21,550 9,920 12,740 44,210 
			 (1) 10 to 20 per cent. of part-time teachers may not be included in the data. (2) Teacher qualified in the previous calendar year. (3) Teacher has no known service in the English maintained sector and qualified before the previous calendar year. (4) Teacher was not in service in the year before entry but has some previous service in the English maintained schools sector. (5) Provisional estimates.  Source:  Database of teacher Records.

Teachers' Pension Scheme

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many mature entrants to the teaching profession have sought to transfer their existing occupational and private pension funds into the Teachers' Pension Scheme in each of the last three years for which figures are available;
	(2)  if he will list those pension schemes that have refused to sign an indemnity provided by the Teachers' Pension Scheme when their members have sought to transfer their pension funds into the Teachers' Pension Scheme upon entering the teaching profession;
	(3)  if he will list those pension schemes that have agreed to sign an indemnity provided by the Teachers' Pension Scheme when their members have sought to transfer their pension funds into the Teachers Pension Scheme upon entering the teaching profession.

Jim Knight: The numbers of transfer values received into the Teachers' Pension Scheme since 1 April 2004 in respect of teachers entering the profession following a period of employment outside teaching are shown in the table. In all cases, the former pension scheme has provided an indemnity where that has been required.
	
		
			  Number of transfer values received by the Teachers' Pension Scheme (England and Wales) 
			   Number 
			 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 3,716 
			 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 3,793 
			 7 April 2006 to 30 September 2006 7,475 
		
	
	The transfer-in indemnity requirement is a common feature across all pension schemes. Details of pension schemes that have or have not signed the transfer-in indemnity are not recorded as a matter of routine. Recent transfers-in have included indemnities from the staff pension schemes of Safeway, Kingfisher, Kerridge Computers and BT.

Teaching Packs

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in which schools the teaching packs, 9/11 The Main Chance, have been distributed.

Jim Knight: The teaching pack was developed by teachers seconded to work with a small group of 15 year old pupils in two Waltham Forest schools, the Davies School and the William Morris Special School. It has not been distributed to any other schools and the pack has since been destroyed.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Parliamentary Questions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Leader of the House what assessment he has made of the arrangements for tabling questions during the summer recess.

Jack Straw: My preliminary assessment is that the tabling process went smoothly.
	Over 730 questions from over 130 Members were tabled for answer on the three named days. The exercise was successful in offering a further method of holding the Executive to account, despite the House being adjourned.
	Following further evaluation, I intend to issue a written ministerial statement to provide information to the whole House, which will include the performance of Government Departments in answering the questions.

Parliamentary Questions

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Leader of the House what proportion of named day questions tabled during the summer recess were answered  (a) on the date due and  (b) within a week of that date.

Jack Straw: Over 730 questions from over 130 Members were tabled for answer on the three named days in September, agreed as a special exercise by the House.
	Following further evaluation, I intend to issue a written ministerial statement to provide information to the whole House, which will include the performance of Government Departments in answering the questions.

Parliamentary Procedures

Chris Bryant: To ask the Leader of the House what the average length of time from First Reading to Royal Assent was for an Act in the 2005-06 session of Parliament.

Nigel Griffiths: It is estimated that for the 31 Government Bills which have reached Royal Assent so far in the present session (excluding Consolidated Fund and Appropriation Bills), the average time taken between introduction and Royal Assent has been 240 days.

Staff Salaries

David Taylor: To ask the Leader of the House what arrangements are in place for the uprating of hon. Members' staff salaries; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Members' staff are employed by Members of Parliament under a standard contract prepared by the House of Commons Department of Finance and Administration. The contract requires Members to review annually the pay of their staff. It is for the Member, as the employer, to determine whether and, if so, by how much an individual member of staff's salary should increase.

Sessional Calendar

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Leader of the House when he expects a new House of Commons calendar for the Session 2006-07 to be published.

Nigel Griffiths: My right hon. Friend has made it clear that there should be a vote of all Members on whether the House wishes for there to be September sittings.
	A new calendar will be published once the House has decided that issue. However, to assist Members and other staff, my right hon. Friend plans to give the House notice of the most immediate recess periods, before the calendar is published.

Access to Information

Julie Morgan: To ask the Leader of the House what plans he has to make the proceedings of the House clearer to the public.

Jack Straw: Making the proceedings of the House clearer to the public is an objective to which the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House, which I chair, accords a high priority in its work and to which I am committed. In its recent report on the Legislative Process (First Report, session 2005-06, HC 1097) a number of proposals sought to address the issue, including recommendations relating to the naming of committees, provision of Explanatory Notes on Lords Amendments and possibly in due course on amendments tabled in committee, and greater information about Bills on the parliamentary website.
	The House of Commons Commission, on which I sit, is also active in taking forward proposals area arising from the work of the Modernisation Committee in its inquiry in the 2003-04 session into Connecting Parliament with the Public.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

2012 Olympics

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding for the 2012 Olympic Games is being provided to the London Development Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The LDA is funding the 2012 Olympics activities for which it is responsible, through use of its normal block grant from the Government and capital borrowing using its local authority prudential borrowing powers.
	Under the 2003 Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and the Mayor of London about the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the London Development Agency (LDA) is responsible for the assembly and remediation of the main Olympic site at Stratford and will provide a further contribution of 250 million towards the public sector funding package for the Olympics from 2008-09. The LDA will also fund a wide range of legacy activities to maximise the benefits of the games for London, including targeted skills development and business support.
	The agency's corporate plan, available at www.lda.gov.uk, shows how the agency has allocated its funds for the years 2006-09, including on Olympic activities.

Agency Workers

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are taking to support the principle of the Temporary Agency Workers Directive.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government continue to support the underlying principles of the Directive and we are working with the European Commission to introduce appropriate rules to protect agency workers.

Building Research Establishment

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the money allocated to the Building Research Establishment for the Clear Skies initiative was distributed in the form of grants in each year since 2001.

Malcolm Wicks: The total budget of 13.25 million for the Clear Skies programme has been committed to projects. 8.2 million has been paid out in grants to date, which is 62 per cent. of the budget. The breakdown is as follows:
	
		
			   Grants paid ( million) 
			 2003-04 0.8 
			 2004-05 2.5 
			 2005-06 3.3 
			 2006-07 1.6 
		
	
	We expect the balance to be paid out by March 2007.

Business Assistance (Cumbria)

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses have been assisted in Cumbria by Business Link or its replacement agency in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The number of businesses assisted by Business Link in Cumbria in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001-02 5,933 
			 2002-03 5,552 
			 2003-04 4,961 
			 2004-05 5,058 
			 2005-06 8,453

Business Assistance (Cumbria)

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his plans are for the new business advisory service which will replace Business Link in Cumbria.

Margaret Hodge: Following a review of current activities, the North West Development Agency has decided that the Business Link service in the north west should move from the current five sub regional suppliers to a single regional provider from April 2007. Services to business will still be delivered at the appropriate local level. Priorities and strategy for the future Business Link service will be determined by the new Regional Economic Strategy and Business Link will provide a consistent service accessible to businesses across the region.

Carbon Dioxide Storage

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies he has carried out to assess the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide in the sea-bed in British waters.

Malcolm Wicks: In 2002 DTI commissioned a review study of the feasibility of carbon dioxide capture and storage in the UK.
	One of the findings of the study showed that the UK has access to substantial carbon dioxide storage capacity in the North Sea. These storage sites were associated with deep saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas fields.
	The report of the study can be found at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sources/sustainable/carbon-abatement-tech/c02capture/page19316.html

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department spent on organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In the last 12 months to September 2006 the Department has spent 5,217,000 on conference and exhibition services and the hire of conference facilities.

Departmental Staff

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what average hourly rate his Department paid to employment agencies for agency staff in each year since 1999, broken down by agency.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Departmental policy is that agency staff are engaged where it is not possible to source the skills for the task from within the Department but the expectation is that the appointment would be time-limited.
	Further information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Employment Equality

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the operation of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We have recently received representations from the Employers Forum on Age, the Association of British Insurers and Group Risk Development about insured benefits, and from the CBI on the occupational pensions provisions of the regulations.

Energy Prices

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the value of  (a) oil and  (b) gas reserves in the UK continental shelf at (i) budget forecast and (ii) world prices.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 12 October 2006
	While the Department of Trade and Industry publishes estimates of remaining UK continental shelf oil and gas reserves on its Oil and Gas website (at http://www.og.dti.gov.uk/informationybb_updates/chapters/reserves_index.htm), the Department does not produce estimates of the value of these reserves. The Office for National Statistics does publish such estimates (most recently at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp? id=149), with total reserves at the end of 2004 valued by them at 108 billion.

Energy Saving Schemes

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the money allocated to the Energy Saving Trust for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme has been distributed in the form of grants.

Malcolm Wicks: The original budget for Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 was 30 million. 1.5 million was brought forward for use on the Clear Skies and Solar PV Major Demonstration Programmes to smooth the transition between the legacy schemes, and the new scheme.
	From the remaining 28.5 million, 4.3 million has been committed to household and community projects, which is 15 per cent. of the budget. Of this amount, 0.2 million has been paid out in grants to date, which is 1 per cent. of the budget.
	Further information on programme spend can be found in the information and resources section of the programme website, www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Flexible Working

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure that the right to request flexible work to be introduced in April 2007 is available to the widest possible range of carers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We carried out a public consultation earlier this year on how to define which carers should be covered by the new right to request flexible working. We received responses from a wide range of stakeholders, including employers, unions, carers and carers organisations, and are considering how best to take their views into account. We will be publishing the Government response to the consultation shortly.

Hampton Review

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what input  (a) his Department and  (b) its (i) agencies and (ii) non-departmental public bodies had into the Hampton Review and its report, 'Reducing Administrative Burdens: Effective Inspection and Enforcement'.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 October 2006, by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury,  Official Report, column 280w.

Hydrogen

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is taking to promote the use of  (a) hydrogen as a (i) transport and (ii) stationary fuel source and  (b) new technologies to provide renewable sources of hydrogen from waste.

Malcolm Wicks: Hydrogen is an 'energy carrier' rather than a fuel source as, like electricity, it can only be produced using energy.
	Hydrogen can be used in:
	a fuel cell, where it produces zero emissions at the point of use
	normal combustion, (eg in an internal combustion engine).
	In 2004, the Department of Trade and Industry, commissioned analysis from the energy consultants E4Tech, Element Energy, and Eoin Lees. This analysis indicates that for the UK, the use of hydrogen as a transport fuel offers significant opportunities for cost-competitive carbon dioxide reduction by 2030. Six different types of transport energy chain have this potential and also offer increased energy security. None is readily available today and each would require significant changes to the energy system. However, they are sufficiently promising to be worth pursuing as energy options for the UK. This analysis was published on the Department's website and can be found at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sources/sustainable/hydrogen/page26734.html.

Internet Neutrality

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has had with  (a) other Departments,  (b) telecommunications companies and  (c) other interested parties on internet neutrality; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Department has discussed the issue of net neutrality with telecommunications companies, internet service providers and other interested parties via open stakeholder meetings in preparing the UK response to the EU Commission communication on the review of the European regulatory framework for electronic communication and services.
	Details about the preparation of the UK input to the review (including notes of meetings) can be found on the DTI website: http://www.dti.gov.uk/sectors/telecoms/2006review/page26449.html.

Maternity Leave

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many women have taken paid maternity leave in each of the last 20 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Take-up of paid maternity leave is not recorded centrally. It is possible to make an estimate of the numbers of women taking maternity leave based on employer returns to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs of the statutory maternity pay (SMP) they recover (from 2003 this covered the first 26 weeks of leave and has recently been extended to 39 weeks in respect of births due from 1 April 2007). On this basis around 300,000 women currently receive SMP each year, which compares with around 280,000 women in 1998, the first year for which consistent data are available in the following table.
	
		
			   SMP recipients 
			 1998-99 281,100 
			 1999-2000 272,600 
			 2000-01 267,100 
			 2001-02 269,500 
			 2002-03 285,800 
			 2003-04 299,700 
			  Source:  DWP 
		
	
	In addition, there will be some women who will qualify for maternity leave but not SMP (because they do not meet the earnings or length of employment criteria for SMP) and similarly some who qualify for SMP but not leave (because they are employed earners for the purposes of SMP but not employees in order to qualify for leave).
	Furthermore employers may offer occupational maternity pay and leave schemes over and above the statutory minimum. Results from the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey indicated that 57 per cent. of all workplaces offered some degree ofpaid extra-statutory maternity leave.

Micro-hydropower

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the potential to exploit micro-hydropower.

Malcolm Wicks: In 1987 the then Department of Energy commissioned the University of Salford to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the economic potential for small-scale hydro-electric generation throughout the UK.
	The scope of the study extended to sites with installed capacities in the range 25kW to 5MW. Further limiting conditions were to disregard sites with hydraulic heads of less than two metres, with existing civil works, or less than three metres with no existing civil works.
	The comprehensive results of the study were published in report Small Scale Hydroelectricity Generation Potential in the UK ETSU-SSH-4063 (Parts 1-3) a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House
	More recently I commissioned research, carried out by the Energy Saving Trust, into the potential of all microgeneration technologies (Potential for Microgeneration: Study and Analysis). This study suggests that the maximum installed capacity for small-scale hydro power stations (under l0kW) is 100MW.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average coal health settlement is in cases represented by Avalon Solicitors.

Malcolm Wicks: The average settlement in coal health claims represented by Avalon Solicitors is set out by scheme in the following table:
	
		
			   Claims settled by payment  Compensation paid ( million)  Average settlement () 
			 Vibration white finger 113 0.7 6,190.47 
			 Respiratory disease 13,998 27.3 1,950.27 
			 Total 14,111 28.0 1,984.22

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the merits of removing Watson Burton Solicitors from the Coal Health Claim panel of solicitors following the Law Society official reprimand of their senior partners of 27 February 2006 for breaches of rules 1c, 1e, 9 and 15 of the Solicitors Practice Rules 1990.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department neither appoints solicitors to represent individual claimants nor to the co-ordinating group of such claimants representatives. Reprimands by the Law Society are currently confidential as between the solicitor and the Society and it is not appropriate for me to comment on that.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many  (a) miners' hearing loss,  (b) vibration white finger and  (c) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims have been made in Bassetlaw constituency in each of the last seven years, broken down by solicitor.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Solicitor  2001  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  Total 
			 1 Legal Solicitors 0 0 0 0 63 0 0 63 
			 Ashton Morton Slack LLP 292 101 2 4 3 0 0 402 
			 Atteys 2 3 1 6 15 0 0 27 
			 Atteys Solicitors 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Avalon Solicitors 3 3 4 30 107 0 0 147 
			 Bailey Bravo Jobling 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 
			 Banner Jones Middleton 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 
			 Barber and Co 2 2 0 147 70 0 0 221 
			 BBH Solicitors 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Bell Dallman and Co 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 4 
			 Bell Wright and Co 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 
			 Beresfords Solicitors 246 115 347 539 143 0 0 1,390 
			 Birchall Blackburn 0 0 0 28 28 0 0 56 
			 Blackett Hart And Pratt Solicitors 10 0 0 0 2 0 0 12 
			 Bleasdale and Co 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Branton Bridge 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Brian McArdle Solicitors 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 BRM Solicitors 3 3 1 92 162 0 0 261 
			 Browell Smith and Co 11 6 5 4 22 1 0 49 
			 Burroughs Day Solicitors 2 0 2 5 3 0 0 12 
			 Chappell Pascoe Solicitors 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Clarkes Solicitors 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Colemans Solicitors 1 1 7 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Cordner Lewis Solicitors 1 0 0 0 13 0 0 14 
			 Corries York 3 4 13 16 11 0 0 47 
			 Davis Blank Furniss 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Dean Thomas and Co Solicitors 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Delta Legal 0 0 0 2 127 0 0 129 
			 DMH Stallard 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 3 
			 Elliot Mather 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Emsleys Solicitors 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Endlars Solicitors 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Parleys 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Foy and Co Solicitors 46 10 8 6 33 0 0 103 
			 Frank Alien Pennington Solicitors 12 4 0 2 4 0 0 22 
			 Furley Page 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 German Hamilton Solicitors 9 0 0 8 9 0 0 26 
			 Gorvin Smith Fort 4 4 5 2 0 0 0 15 
			 Graysons Solicitors 269 68 42 131 126 0 0 636 
			 Greene Wood and McLean 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Hamers Solicitors 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Hickmotts Solicitors 8 2 2 1 0 0 0 13 
			 Hilary Meredith Solicitors 0 0 0 11 50 0 0 61 
			 Hindle Campbell Solicitors 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 4 
			 Hollis and Co Solicitors 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Hopkins 92 6 1 4 19 0 0 122 
			 Hugh James 12 0 0 41 26 0 0 79 
			 Ilett and Clark Solicitors 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 
			 Ingrams Solicitors 4 0 2 48 22 0 0 76 
			 Irwin Mitchell Solicitors 67 14 15 11 27 0 0 134 
			 J M Skinner Solicitors 0 5 0 4 4 0 0 13 
			 Keeble Hawson Moorhouse 36 11 2 4 5 0 0 58 
			 Kidd and Spoor Harper Solicitors 69 18 43 155 56 0 0 341 
			 Kites Solicitors 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Lawrence Hamblin 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Linder Myers 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Lopian Wagner Solicitors 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Maidments Solicitors 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 36 301 22 89 33 0 0 481 
			 Marrons Solicitors 1 0 2 2 0 0 0 5 
			 McArdles Solicitors 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 
			 McConville O'Neill 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Meloy Whittle Robinson 3 6 12 12 2 0 0 35 
			 MLM Solicitors 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 
			 Morrish and Co Solicitors 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 4 
			 Mortons Solicitors 2 1 16 4 1 0 0 24 
			 Moss Solicitors 244 110 43 21 40 0 0 458 
			 O H Parsons and Partners Solicitors 167 25 11 16 17 0 0 236 
			 Oakley and Davies 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Onyems and Partners 1 0 1 72 4 0 0 78 
			 Oxley and Coward Solicitors 10 2 1 1 1 0 0 15 
			 Pannone and Partners 1 0 2 4 2 0 0 9 
			 Parker Rhodes Solicitors 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Peace Revitt Solicitors 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 
			 Proddow and Mackay Solicitors 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 7 
			 Raleys Solicitors 175 51 31 33 185 0 0 475 
			 Randell Lloyd Jenkins and Martin 0 0 7 44 16 0 0 67 
			 Recompense Ltd 0 0 0 0 98 0 0 98 
			 Reeds Solicitors 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 
			 Richard J Knaggs 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Richmonds Solicitors 56 19 11 8 10 0 0 104 
			 Robinson King Solicitors 10 3 0 1 0 0 0 14 
			 Ross and Co 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Ryan Carlisle Thomas Lawyers 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 5 
			 Saffmans Solicitors 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Shacklocks Mansfield 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Shaw and Co Solicitors 9 5 5 1 2 0 0 22 
			 Simpson Millar Solicitors 26 3 0 1 7 0 0 37 
			 SIS Law 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Stuart Bell and Associates 30 19 15 24 82 0 0 170 
			 Taylor Bracewell Solicitors 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 
			 The Legal Warehouse 3 1 96 93 47 0 0 240 
			 Thompsons Solicitors 105 13 7 3 12 0 0 140 
			 Towells Solicitors 32 9 2 6 4 0 0 53 
			 Tracey Barlow Furniss and Co 10 1 2 2 3 0 0 18 
			 Twigg Farnell 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 412 135 34 348 216 0 0 1,145 
			 Wake Smith 7 2 4 266 14 0 0 293 
			 Watson Burton LLP 58 7 7 22 25 0 0 119 
			 Wheelers Solicitors 0 0 0 16 3 0 0 19 
			 Whittles Solicitors 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Wilson Browne incorp. Holyoak and Co 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Total 2,630 1,100 852 2,413 2,003 1 0 8,999

Nuclear Industry

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when de-licensing of the former British Nuclear Fuel Ltd. laboratories site at Berkeley is expected to be completed.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 12 October 2006
	The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) assumed responsibility for the decommissioning and clean up of the UK's civil nuclear legacywhich includes the Berkeley nuclear siteon 1 April 2005. The NDA requires each of its sites to produce Life Time Plans which set out the total scope of activities which need to be undertaken over the sites' planned lifetime to bring it to its proposed end state. In this context the NDA expects the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate to have completed the de-licensing of the former BNFL laboratories at Berkeley by the end of December.

Ofgem

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to amend the remit of Ofgem.

Malcolm Wicks: No.

Post Office

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was allocated to support the rural post office network in each of the last 20 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There was no financial support provided to the rural post office network until this Government introduced the social network payment in 2003. Allocations since then have been: 146 million in financial year 2003-04; 151 million in 2004-05; and 147 million in 2005-06. For this and the next financial year we have made available up to 150 million per annum. Additionally, 2 million was made available under the capital start-up scheme introduced in July 2001.

Renewables

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the regional targets for renewable electricity generation, derived from the Regional Renewable Assessment Overview, should be met from microgeneration installed by  (a) individual home-owners,  (b) community groups and  (c) public institutions.

Malcolm Wicks: Microgeneration technologies have a significant role to play as part of our overall renewables mix, but it is too early in the development of the market to be able to set meaningful targets or identify proportions of demand likely to come from different segments of the market. Regions should be looking to meet renewable targets through whichever technologies are most effective for their situation.

Statutory Holiday

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are eligible for the statutory right to four weeks' paid holiday in each local authority in the UK.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In 1998, the Government introduced an entitlement to four weeks' paid annual leave.
	Statistical information on the number of people eligible for this right is not available for each local authority in the UK.

Steel Industry

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with senior executives in the British steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: There have been no recent discussions with senior executives in the UK steel industry. However the Department has enjoyed an excellent relationship with the UK steel sector over the years, and during this time there has been regular contact between DTI Ministers and senior industry representatives. Most recently I met representatives of the UK steel industry on 21 June in the context of emissions trading. Thereafter on 13 July I met a delegation from the Metals Forum, including a representative of the trade association UK Steel, to discuss a range of issues affecting the metals sector.

Stuart Bell Associates

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why claims handlers Stuart Bell Associates were placed on his Department's published list of solicitors authorised to deal with coal health claims.

Malcolm Wicks: The list included all those who had been chosen by claimants to represent them in handling coal health claims. The Department does not authorise claimant representatives.

Trade Unions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many trade union recognition deals there have been in each of the last 20 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no official statistics on the number of trade union recognition deals reached in any year. However, in each year since the statutory recognition procedure came into force on 6 June 2000, the Central Arbitration Committee has awarded recognition in the following number of cases:
	
		
			  The number of trade union recognition awards by the CAC by year (1 April -31 March) 
			   Trade Union Recognition Awards 
			 June 2000-01 7 
			 2001-02 27 
			 2002-03 24 
			 2003-04 31 
			 2004-05 27 
			 2005-06 26

UK Electricity Generation

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of UK electricity-generating capacity can use more than one fuel type.

Malcolm Wicks: At the end of December 2005, out of a total UK generating plant capacity of 81.7 GW, 4.9 GW or 6 per cent. was accounted for by mixed or dual-fired conventional steam stations. In addition data collected during 2004 showed that 4.6 GW of combined cycle gas turbine capacity (an additional 5.5 per cent. of total generating capacity) had access to distillate as a back-up fuel.

UK Gas Demand

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of UK gas demand is met by interruptable contracts.

Malcolm Wicks: It is estimated that sales of gas supplied on an interruptible basis accounted for around 20 per cent. of total gas sales in 2005. See para 4.26 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2006, which can be found at http://www.dtistats.net/energystats/dukes06.pdf

Vendside

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will enable compensation claimants represented by Vendside Ltd. to have access to their files.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 11 October 2006
	If the Department received a file access request from a compensation claimant, the Department would reach a decision as to whether to disclose taking account of its legal obligations. The Department would expect only to receive such requests where claimants had tried and failed to obtain that information from their representatives.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive to be implemented.

Malcolm Wicks: The intention is, subject to the outcome of the current public consultation on the draft implementing regulations, that the directive should be transposed into UK law early in 2007, leading to full implementation on 1 July 2007.

Wind Turbines

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements have been made to deal with the heavy and additional intermittent workload that will occur on the grid as a result of additional wind turbines in Wales; what progress has been made in implementing these arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Responsibility for making arrangements for accommodating wind generation wishing to connect to the grid network in Wales lies with the distribution network operators, SP Manweb and Western Power Distribution, and the National Grid Company. However, the DTI, in conjunction with Ofgem, established the Transmission Working Group (and its predecessor the Transmission Issues Working Group) to monitor progress in identifying and delivering GB-wide grid infrastructure upgrades necessary to accommodate the Government's renewable targets. The DTI is also working closely with the National Grid Company on studies to review the future performance of GB Transmission system with a renewable generation capacity commensurate with achievement of these targets. I hope that the outcome of these studies will be available early in the new year.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the latest estimate is of opiate seizures in Afghanistan since the start of UK operations there.

Geoff Hoon: It is difficult to obtain precise opiate seizure figures since UK operations in Afghanistan began in 2002, due to the absence of adequate information systems at that time.
	Further to the written answer of my hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East of 14 July 2006,  Official Report, column 2133W, in response to a question from the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey), in which he referred to a total of 186.6 tonnes of opiate equivalents seized for the period May 2005 to June 2006, the Afghan Ministry of Interior have recently revised their estimate of total seizures. They estimate for the period 1 May 2005 to 11 October 2006, 115.3 tonnes of opiate equivalents were seized.

Climate Change

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the aims and objectives are of the Climate Change and Energy Group; and if she will make a statement on the Group's progress against its targets.

Ian McCartney: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Climate Change and Energy Group (CCEG) contributes to the delivery of the Government's following international priorities:
	Supporting the UK economy and business through an open and expanding global economy, science and innovation and secure energy supplies
	and
	Achieving climate security by promoting a faster transition to a sustainable, low carbon global economy
	It works closely with my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's special representative for climate change and other Government Departments, in particular the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department for International Development. Key to CCEG's role in delivering these priorities is providing support to the Foreign Secretary and her special representative's efforts to place climate security at the heart of UK foreign policy, and to reframe the climate and energy debate to build a sense of urgency and imperative for action among key international constituencies.
	Recent progress includes:
	preparation of and briefing for the Foreign Secretary's attendance at the second ministerial meeting of the Gleneagles Dialogue in Monterrey, Mexico 3-4 October, which focused on the economics of climate change, technology opportunities and clean energy investment and will lead to enhanced action to promote lower carbon growth;
	briefing for the Foreign Secretary on climate change issues for discussions with a range of international partners, including the US, China, India, Mexico and EU partners;
	joint work with DTI on assessment of international risks to EU energy supplies;
	the FCO has appointed three regional energy advisers covering Middle East, Africa and the Caspian. These advisers support the FCO's network of posts in these regions on energy issues and liaise with interested Whitehall departments on developments in them. One example of the work done has been to push forward the implementation of the Kazakhstan memorandum of understanding on energyaimed at building closer co-operation on energy issues; and
	management of the Global Opportunities Fund Climate Change and Energy Programme, for which 4.6 million is available this financial year, and which aims to promote change in the governance and use of international energy resources and systems to help secure the UK's medium-term global climate change and energy objectives.

Departmental Child Care Facilities

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what child care  (a) provision and  (b) assistance is available to her Department's staff.

Geoff Hoon: There are two in-house nurseries, one at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Main Building, King Charles Street and the other at Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes.
	The London Nursery has a total of 36 places. These are subsidised and the fees range from 23 to 34 per day.
	The Hanslope Park nursery has a total of 50 places. Fees are 139 per week for under-2s and 126 for children two and over.
	The FCO introduced the Salary Sacrifice Childcare Vouchers Scheme on 1 April 2006. This enables staff to purchase child care vouchers up to the value of 243 per month by sacrificing the equal amount of salary. The resulting saving in tax and national insurance to the individual officer is up to the value of 1,200 per year.
	The FCO pay a 50 per cent. subsidy to the Westminster Playscheme to enable FCO staff to take up places for their school-age children during normal school holidays.

Departmental Staff

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of  (a) staff and  (b) new staff employed since April 2005 in (i) her Department and (ii) each of the agencies for which she has responsibility is recorded as disabled.

Geoff Hoon: Disability status at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is declared and voluntary. In this context the figures requested are:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Proportion of staff who have declared a disability 2.9 
			 Proportion of staff employed since April 2005 who have declared a disability 1.4 
		
	
	Wilton Park is our only agency. The number of staff, and the proportion of disabled employees, are both so small that disclosure would risk identifying individuals.

Departmental Staff

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many disabled people were hired by her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what percentage of the overall workforce these figures represented in each year; and how many disabled people left their employment in her Department over the same period.

Geoff Hoon: The overall percentage of staff, who had declared a disability, rose from 2.1 per cent. in 2001 to 3 per cent. in 2005. Disability status is self-declared and voluntary. The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			   Disabled new entrants  As a percentage of workforce  Disabled leavers 
			 2005 9 0.1 12 
			 2004 n/a n/a n/a 
			 2003 12 0.2 n/a 
			 2002 10 0.2 0 
			 2001 n/a n/a n/a

Equal Pay

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many  (a) women and  (b) men are employed in the Department; what the average pay was for (i) women and (ii) men in the Department in (1) 1997 and (2) 2006; what women's average pay is as a percentage of men's average pay; and how many (A) women and (B) men the Department employed in each of the last five years, broken down by grade.

Margaret Beckett: The following table shows the number of  (a) men and  (b) women currently employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), average pay for (i) men and (ii) women in 2006, current women's pay as a percentage of men's and the numbers of (A) men and (B) women by grade for each of the last five years - except 2004.
	The staff numbers are for FCO UK based civil servants and represent full time equivalent staff. The gender breakdown and average pay by gender for 1997 are not available. The numbers in grade by gender are not available for 2004.
	Due to restructuring of the senior management structure (SMS) in 2001 and 2002 it is not possible to provide figures for these years which equate to the current four SMS paybands.
	
		
			  April 2006 
			  Grade  Number of women employed by the FCO  Number of men employed by the FCO  Average pay women () (and as a percentage of men's pay)  Average pay men () 
			 SMS4 0 11 0 (0) 142,448 
			 SMS3 2 19 109,154 (105.9) 103,116 
			 SMS2 9 109 81,721 (98.6) 82,847 
			 SMS1 60 223 64,021 (100.8) 63,506 
			 D7 56 175 50,555 (100.1) 50,512 
			 D6 249 517 40,457 (95.6) 42,311 
			 C5 168 466 31,327 (93.3) 33,579 
			 C4 474 813 26,395 (98.7) 26,750 
			 B3 787 727 21,076 (100.6) 20,947 
			 A2 641 442 18,102 (103.9) 17,418 
			 Al 67 102 16,387 (114.2) 14,352 
			 Total 2,513 3,604 25,511 (83.4) 30,597 
		
	
	
		
			  April 2005 
			  Grade  Number of women employed by the FCO  Number of men employed by the FCO 
			
			 SMS4 0 12 
			 SMS3 3 18 
			 SMS2 7 116 
			 SMS1 59 248 
			 D7 49 168 
			 D6 238 501 
			 C5 162 484 
			 C4 468 816 
			 B3 716 700 
			 A2 695 447 
			 Al 101 137 
			 Total 2,498 3,647 
		
	
	
		
			  October 2003 
			  Grade  Number of women employed by the FCO  Number of men employed by the FCO 
			 SMS4 0 12 
			 SMS3 1 15 
			 SMS2 11 125 
			 SMS1 51 257 
			 D7 40 153 
			 D6 188 507 
			 C5 126 438 
			 C4 449 799 
			 B3 644 668 
			 A2 719 450 
			 Al 156 181 
			 Total 2,385 3,605 
		
	
	
		
			  December 2002 
			  Grade  Number of women employed by the FCO  Number of men employed by the FCO 
			 SMS 55 414 
			 D7 41 138 
			 D6 165 494 
			 C5 113 427 
			 C4 441 814 
			 B3 642 645 
			 A2 714 440 
			 Al 158 183 
			 Total 2,329 3,555 
		
	
	
		
			  January 2001 
			  Grade  Number of women employed by the FCO  Number of men employed by the FCO 
			 SMS 38 407 
			 D7 39 87 
			 D6 127 474 
			 C5 77 405 
			 C4 350 803 
			 B3 608 651 
			 A2 655 387 
			 Al 155 173 
			 Total 2,049 3,387

Ethiopia/Somalia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with  (a) the Ethiopian Government and  (b) the leader of the Somalian Union of Islamic Courts to try to avert conflict.

Ian McCartney: My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman, and our ambassador in Addis Ababa and his staff have frequent discussions with Prime Minister Meles and other representatives of the Government of Ethiopia about the situation in Somalia. We do not have any bilateral contacts with the Union of Islamic Courts, which is not a single entity, but officials take part in multilateral meetings outside Somalia where various of their representatives are present. We continue to urge all parties inside and outside Somalia to refrain from action that could provoke violence, to respect the UN arms embargo on Somalia and to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue under the Khartoum process.

European Union

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the evidential basis is for her statement in Prospects for the EU in 2006 (Cm 6896), that the internal market has boosted EU gross domestic product by 875 billion euros over 10 years and generated 2.5 million jobs; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The source is The internal market: ten years without frontiers, published by the European Commission. The correct figure for the increase in EU gross domestic product is 877 billion.

European Union

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the evidential basis is for her statement in Prospects for the EU in 2006 (Cm 6896), that the Services Directive as agreed in the Competitiveness Council will create 600,000 new jobs and boost wages by 0.5 per cent. across the EU and will add 31 billion euros to EU gross domestic product; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The source of these figures is a study conducted by Copenhagen Institute of Economics titled the 'Economic Assessment of the barriers to the Internal Market for Services 2005'. The study was commissioned by the European Commission.
	The analysis from consultants Copenhagen Economics found that all member states will benefit in terms of job creation and gross domestic product growth from the Services Directive. Specifically, for the EU, they estimate that the directive:
	is worth around 30 billion annually;
	could create up to 600,000 new jobs; and
	could lead to an increase in real wages of up to 0.4 per cent.
	The consultants' findings are broken down by projected impact per member state. For the UK, the consultants estimate that the directive:
	will be worth 5 billion per year to UK business and consumers;
	could create up to 135,000 new jobs; and
	could increase real wages by up to 0.7 per cent.
	Further details on the Copenhagen Economics study are set out in the Government's partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Services Directive which was sent to the EU Scrutiny Committee by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade on 9 May. A copy of the RIA is available in the Library of the House.

Iran

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has received representations from the US authorities on measures to limit Iran's access to international financial systems; and whether UK assistance has been requested in this regard.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials discuss Iran frequently with their US counterparts. They have discussed possible measures, including financial measures, that the international community might have available should Iran not come into compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency Board and UN Security Council resolutions. In resolution 1696, the Security Council made mandatory on Iran a suspension of all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities and expressed its intention to adopt appropriate measures under article 41 of the UN charter if Iran did not comply. Iran has not put in place a full suspension and the 'E3+3' (France, Germany, UK + China, Russia, US) are presently consulting on appropriate measures, as a first step towards wider consultations; decisions have not yet been taken.
	Members of the US Administration have also briefed Ministers and officials, including from HM Treasury, on their concern that Iranian-owned banks are being used to facilitate the transfer of funds to organisations involved in terrorism and proliferation related activities. On 8 September, the US announced that it had taken measures to exclude Bank Saderat from the US financial system, on the grounds of its alleged involvement in transferring funds to terrorist organisations. US officials subsequently travelled to a number of countries, including the UK, to explain the US action and to underline the need for vigilance. The Government take the financing of terrorism and proliferation-related activities extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with the US and other countries to ensure that international financial markets are not abused.

Iran

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of al-Qaeda operatives in custody within Iran; what recent discussions her representatives have had with the Iranian authorities regarding such people; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: An official Iranian statement in July 2005 recorded that Iran had 200 al-Qaeda members in custody. We remain concerned about al-Qaeda and its activities in Iran. In official contact with the Iranian authorities, we continue to urge Iran to take effective action against members of al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups using Iran as a base, transit route or refuge. We encourage Iran to do more to share information about the detainees with the international community.

Iran

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of Iranian compliance with the requirements of UN Security Council Resolution 1373.

Kim Howells: We believe that Iran should co-operate fully with the rest of the international community against international terrorism, as required by UN Security Council Resolution 1373. We remain concerned that Iran is not doing more to share information. Iran has not matched its oral commitments to ratify new terrorism conventions. We believe the Iranian Government needs to demonstrate more fully that they are prepared to take action against al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups using Iran as a base, transit route or refuge.

Iran

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent on projects for the promotion of democracy and freedom of information in the Islamic Republic of Iran in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Encouraging respect for human rights and political freedoms is a key element of our approach towards Iran. We do not take sides in Iran's internal political debatesthese are for Iranians themselves to resolvebut seek to promote the internationally recognised principles to which many Iranians aspire, including freedom of speech and transparent, genuinely democratic and accountable government.
	In line with long-standing EU policy, we are committed to supporting political reform. We continue to support the development of governmental and non- governmental organisations where opportunities arise. We do not publicise the details without the consent of our Iranian partners. The EU has allocated around 4.4 million to projects in Iran under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. Three projects, to which the EU has allocated a total of 2.9 million, are implemented by UN agencies. A further 1 million project was launched in January 2005. We are encouraging the EU to allocate more resources to support political reform under the EU's new financial perspective (2007 to 2013).
	On 10 October, the Government announced that they would make resources available to fund a BBC Farsi TV service to be run by the BBC World Service. The service will cost approximately 15 million per year to run in addition to start up costs of approximately 9 million.

Iraq

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Iraq-based web logs are monitored by her Department; what role web log monitoring and analysis has in  (a) making policy decisions and  (b) informing the Department of the views of Iraqi people on (i) the occupation, (ii) the ongoing violence and deaths of Iraqi civilians, (iii) the Iraqi Government and (iv) the governments and policies of the occupying powers.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not routinely monitor web logs in Iraq.

Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information her Department has received on the numbers of  (a) deaths of and  (b) injuries to (i) Israeli civilians and (ii) Israeli military personnel by rocket or other attacks from inside Lebanon for each month between June 2005 and June 2006.

Kim Howells: Between June 2005 and June 2006, the information we have indicates there was a total of one Israel Defence Force (IDF) fatality, 14 IDF injuries and two civilian injuries. Specifically, on 29 June 2005, one IDF soldier was killed and four were wounded. On 30 November 2005, nine IDF and two civilians were injured. On 27 May 2006, one IDF soldier was injured.

Middle East

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the government of  (a) Iran and  (b) Syria about its role in arming Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon; what reply was received from each; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Ministers have had no recent contact with their Syrian counterparts. However, we do have contact with Syria through our respective embassies, and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials have discussed the situation in the Middle East with Syrian officials throughout the crisis in Lebanon. We have also summoned the Syrian Ambassador in London to pressure Syria to take action in relation to Hezbollah.
	Ministers and officials have discussed Iran's approach to terrorism and its role in the region with their Iranian counterparts on many occasions. Senior FCO officials also protested to the Iranian Ambassador in London during the conflict to urge Iran to stop their support for Hezbollah.
	We are very concerned about the role of Syria and Iran. Iran supplies Hezbollah with financing and weapons and has personnel in Lebanon assisting Hezbollah. As well as supplying arms to Hezbollah, Syria facilitates the supply of arms and finance from Iran to Hezbollah. Through their support for Hezbollah, Iran and Syria are encouraging extremism, threatening the stability of the region, and putting peace in the Middle East further out of reach. We have repeatedly called on Syria and Iran to stop their support for Hezbollah and their interference in Lebanese internal affairs in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701.

Middle East

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 14-16WS, on the middle east peace process/Lebanon, what actions are planned  (a) to develop a new programme to build viable institutions for a future Palestinian state and  (b) to develop capacity in the Palestinian Territories.

Geoff Hoon: We are continuing to discuss options to develop capacity building and viable institutions in the Occupied Territories with our EU and other international partners.

Middle East

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 14-16WS, on the middle east peace process/Lebanon, if she will make a statement on the proposed UK role in improving Palestinian security.

Geoff Hoon: We will continue to discuss proposals for improving Palestinian security with our international partners.

Romania

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms have been put in place by the EU to investigate and report on the implementation of child care legislation and protection of children's and other human rights in Romania prior to the enlargement of the EU.

Geoff Hoon: The European Commission is responsible for monitoring Romania's compliance with the Copenhagen Criteria prior to accession. This includes monitoring of child care legislation and human rights. The latest Commission report of 26 September noted the continued implementation of child care legislation in Romania (which is in line with the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child), a continual decrease in the number of institutionalised children and substantial improvements in conditions in remaining institutions. Further details on this and other human rights aspects in Romania can be found in the Commission's report. This is available on the Commission website at: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2006/sept/report_bg_ ro_2006_en.pdf.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on attacks on civilians in internally displaced people's camps in Darfur.

Ian McCartney: We are appalled at the continuing attacks against internally displaced persons in Darfur. There are credible reports of assault, robbery, physical and sexual abuse. Incidents of rape are also increasing due to the rising presence of armed militia.
	We utterly condemn these acts of violence. Together with our EU, African Union (AU) and UN Security Council partners, we are pressing all sides to stop the fighting; to agree to the deployment of a UN force in Darfur; to co-operate in bolstering the AU in the interim; to commit to and implement the Darfur Peace Agreement; and to ensure full humanitarian access for the UN and non-governmental organisations in Darfur. It is through these actions that we will start to see a sustainable improvement in the protection of the vulnerable populations of Darfur. Achieving them is a top priority for the Government and one for which we are seeking to build the widest possible coalition of support.

UKvisas

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when HM High Commission, Islamabad will reply to the representations made to them by UKvisas about the case of Mr. K. H. (reference GV100/095780/SU; post reference ISB/1157487) about which the hon. Member for Aylesbury wrote to UKvisas on 26 July; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Due to a shortage of staff during the Visa section's busiest period of the year, there was unfortunately a delay in retrieving the applicant's file in Islamabad, for which UKvisas apologises.
	UKvisas replied to the hon. Member on 11 October.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Housing Benefit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people receiving housing benefit face benefit withdrawal rates of more than 40 per cent. against marginal income.

James Plaskitt: Half a million working age housing benefit recipients have marginal deduction rates in excess of 40 per cent. and 400,000 in receipt of pensioner income.
	As my hon. Friend will be aware, tapers are part of the system in order to smooth the effects of moving into employment, and to concentrate support on those in greatest need.

Housing Benefit

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how much has been lost in housing benefit  (a) fraud and  (b) error in the local housing allowance pilot areas since their introduction;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the local housing allowance on housing benefit fraud.

James Plaskitt: Information regarding the amount lost in housing benefit fraud and error is not available below national level. Our latest estimates of fraud and error in housing benefit are published in Fraud and Error in Housing Benefit April 2002 to September 2005, which is available in the Library.
	The Department commissioned an independent evaluation of the local housing allowance within the pathfinder areas. This included qualitative data gathered from local authority fraud staff. The evaluation has concluded that the local housing allowance has not resulted in significant levels of new types of fraud or higher levels of fraud more generally. Furthermore, there are indications that fraudulent activity by some landlords may have been reduced.

Pensions (Call Centres)

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the operation of telephone call centres in the administration of state pensions.

James Purnell: The Pension Service contact centres administer both State Pension and Pension Credit. The Pension Service nationally is currently achieving a year to date performance of 96.7 per cent. of calls answered against a target of 95 per cent.

Carers

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential effect on carers of the Government's new pension proposals.

James Purnell: Our reforms will make a real difference to carers' incomes in retirement.
	Reducing the number of qualifying years needed for a full basic State Pension to 30 will mean the proportion of women entitled to a full basic State Pension will increase to around 70 per cent. of women reaching State Pension age in 2010, compared with around 30 per cent. today.
	Many of these women will be carers, who could also gain from the more generous crediting arrangements in the reformed State Pension.

Child Poverty

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to meet the target to halve child poverty by 2010.

Jim Murphy: The UK had the highest levels of Child Poverty than any industrialised nation. It has now fallen faster than any other major economy. We are committed to abolishing child poverty by 2020.

Private Pension Schemes

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the returns to pensioners from private pension schemes; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The 2004-05 Pensioner Income series estimates average pension income from private and occupational pensions has seen a 43 per cent. real increase from 1996-97 to 2004-05.

Central Vision

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action he is taking to set a central vision for his Department and its agencies.

Anne McGuire: The Department has a Five Year Strategy which was published in February 2005. The document sets out the vision for the Department and the direction this will take. It can be viewed at
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2005/5_yr _strat/.
	The Departmental Strategy is currently being reviewed to ensure that it is focused on the key priorities of the Government and the current challenges facing the Department.

Child Support Agency

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects Child Support Agency assessments made under the old scheme to be converted to assessments made under the new scheme.

James Plaskitt: We have always said that we would only convert old scheme cases to the new scheme when it was working well. As part of his proposals for the redesign of the child support system, Sir David Henshaw recommended a radical approach allied to his proposal to create a new organisation. He has proposed that both of the existing schemes are closed down and that people are asked to re-apply to a new, simplified system. We think this has considerable merit and will help ensure that the new organisation is not contaminated by the failures of the past. However, we need to do more analysis to assess the most appropriate way to enable existing clients to either move to private arrangements or make a claim under the new system.
	We will still continue, however, to convert cases on the old scheme where they are linked to a new scheme case.

Child Support Agency

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency cases of outstanding arrears have been referred to debt collection agencies in each year since 1996-97.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty dated 3 October 2006:
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases of outstanding arrears have been referred to debt collection agencies in each year since 1996-97.
	The Agency did not refer any cases to debt collection agencies before August 2005. Between August 2005 and March 2006 the Agency conducted a small scale pilot using two private debt collection agencies to assess the feasibility of involving the private sector to recover Agency debt. As part of this pilot the Agency referred 2000 cases to these agencies.
	Following the pilot and a procurement exercise the Agency signed contracts with two debt collection agencies on 7th July 2006. Since then the Agency has referred 4,433 cases to these agencies.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are employed on the Financial Assistance Scheme.

James Purnell: holding answer 12 October 2006
	81 full and part-time staff are employed on the Financial Assistance Scheme (equivalent to 74 whole-time staff). Of these 69 are based in the operational unit and 12 in departmental headquarters.

Income Support (Pregnant Women)

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pregnant women are in receipt of income support personal allowance for a single person aged  (a) 16 to 17,  (b) 18 to 24 and  (c) 25 years and over.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Jobcentre Plus

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the recruitment of  (a) Band D advisers and  (b) managers in Jobcentre Plus.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie dated 16 October 2006
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the recruitment of  (a) Band D advisers and  (b) managers in Jobcentre Plus. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	We have recently introduced new Band D Advisory Services Manager and Band D Jobcentre Manager roles in Jobcentres. The Advisory Services Manager is accountable for improving the quality, productivity and performance of welfare to work advisory services. The Jobcentre Manager is accountable for the effective overall delivery of customer services, and for Job Seekers Allowance conditionality and customer compliance.
	By the end of September 2006 we had filled all of the new posts.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on migration to a fully electronic customer relationship management system in Jobcentre Plus offices; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie dated 16 October 2006:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the progress made on the migration to a fully electronic customer relationship management system in Jobcentre Plus. This is something, which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	I can confirm that the Customer Management System (CMS) has been implemented alongside the rollout of Jobcentre Plus offices. As at 26 September 2006, CMS has gone live in 834 offices including 23 Contact Centres.
	I hope this is helpful.

National Insurance Numbers

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1597W, on national insurance numbers, how many new national insurance numbers were issued in  (a) Guildford constituency and  (b) Surrey in each year between 1997 and 2005.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested.

National Insurance Numbers

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many interviews for new national insurance numbers have been carried out at the contact centres at Bedford and Dunstable since July; and how many of the applicants at  (a) Bedford and  (b) Dunstable contact centre lived in (i) Milton Keynes, (ii) Bedford, (iii) Dunstable and (iv) other addresses.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested.

Pathways to Work

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of participants in each Pathways to Work area have entered new deal programmes.

Jim Murphy: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  Participants who went on to the new deal for disabled people programme in each Pathways to Work area 
			  Percentage 
			   Pathways to Work  Stock Extension  Combined 
			  Original pilot areas
			 Derbyshire 7.5 4.6 6.9 
			 Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute 9.3 4.3 8.5 
			 Bridgend, Rhonda, Cynon and Taf 12.8 4.8 11.3 
			 East Lancashire 7.4 3.0 6.4 
			 Somerset 8.2 5.0 7.6 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 11.0 6.2 10.0 
			 Essex 3.9 2.3 3.5 
			 
			  ExpansionPhase One (31 October 2005)
			 Cumbria 1.9   
			 Glasgow 2.2   
			 Lancashire West 3.0   
			 Tees Valley 4.0   
			 
			  ExpansionPhase Two (24 April 2006)
			 Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham 3.4   
			 City of Sunderland 3.3   
			 County Durham 3.8   
			 Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire 1.0   
			 Liverpool and the Wirral 0.6   
			 Greater Manchester Central 0.3   
			 Swansea Bay and West Wales 1.9   
			 Total 6.7   
			  Notes:  1. The only new deal programme available to Pathways to Work customers is the new deal for disabled people (NDDP), which is available through the Choices package. 2. As requested this answer is based on the number of participants who have entered Pathways and then subsequently taken up NDDP. The total number of Pathways starts and NDDP take-up is higher as an individual can have multiple spells on Pathways. 3. It would not be appropriate to infer a precise NDDP take-up rate from the data supplied in this response as it would be an underestimate of the true underlying NDDP take-up rate due to the fact that more recent cases will have had less time to take up NDDP. 4. Stock customers can volunteer for the normal Pathways process but since 7 February 2005 some stock customers are mandated to participate. Data are not available for these customers in Expansion Pilot areas.   Source:  Pathways to Work Evaluation Database. Data are to end of June 2006.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his reasons for proposing a staggered rise in state pension age.

James Purnell: The timetable as proposed is designed to broadly keep pace with the projected rises in average life expectancy and so maintain at a roughly constant level the same proportion of adult life spent in receipt of the state pension following the proposed increase in state pension age as set out in the Pensions White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pensions System.
	Our intention is that each increase will be implemented gradually over a two-year period. The first increase from 65 to 66 will be phased in between April 2024 and April 2026; the increases from 66 to 67 and from 67 to 68 will be implemented in the same way, starting from April 2034 and April 2044 respectively.
	Increasing state pension age with no transitional period would mean that two people born a day apart could have a year between their respective state pension ages, while a more extended transition period would increase complexity. We consider that our proposal, which follows a similar model as will apply to the increases in state pension age for women between 2010 and 2020 under the Pensions Act 1995, strikes a reasonable balance between fairness and simplicity.

Post Office Card Account

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the number of Post Office card account holders who are undischarged bankrupts.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 2597W.

Shared Service Organisation

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the implementation of a shared service organisation for his Department.

Anne McGuire: Shared Services is a key theme of the Government's transformational strategy, with one major focus on shared corporate services (Human Resources and Finance).
	Delivering shared services from one specialist organisation will free up resources to front line businesses and provide better service for less cost. The DWP Shared Services Organisation came into effect on 1 September 2006. The focus is on an improved customer experience, the provision of timely and relevant management information, and the need to demonstrate value for money for the Department through the use of benchmarking.

Winter Fuel Allowance

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to index the winter fuel allowance to fuel prices.

James Purnell: The Winter Fuel Payment has risen from 20 in winter 1997-98 to 200 from winter 2000-01 and to 300 for those aged 80 or over from winter 2003-04.

SCOTLAND

Age Discrimination

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he plans to take to ensure the enforcement of anti-age discrimination measures in Scotland.

David Cairns: I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, on 10 October 2006,  Official Report, column 146.

Departmental Child Care Facilities

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  what childcare  (a) provision and  (b) assistance is available to his Department's staff;
	(2)  whether there are waiting lists for places at childcare facilities which his Department provides for its employees.

David Cairns: All staff in the Scotland Office are on secondment from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and are able to access any initiatives operated by their parent Departments.

Departmental Child Care Facilities

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of his Department's premises have childcare facilities on site.

David Cairns: None. Scotland Office staff have access to a nursery at the Scottish Executive's Victoria Quay building in Edinburgh. Scotland Office staff in London have access to the DCA's arrangements.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent by his Department in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not record the information in the form requested. All travel and subsistence is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code.
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent by his Department on food and alcohol for its staff working out of office in each year since 2001-02.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not record the information in the form requested.

Departmental Staff

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of  (a) staff and  (b) new staff employed since April 2005 in his Department is recorded as disabled.

David Cairns: Staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) who retain any self-declared and voluntary information on disability. The Office's recent Annual Report indicated that we have a small number of staff with disabilities but, for privacy reasons, the actual numbers are considered confidential. Further information is available through the Cabinet Office website at this link:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/publications/xls/report_2005/table_p.xls

Departmental Staff

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are employed in the Scotland Office.

David Cairns: Staffing numbers are shown in the Office's Annual Report (Cm 6834).

Departmental Staff (Bicycles)

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what tax-efficient schemes for the purchase of bicycles his Department makes available to its employees; how many and what percentage of his Department's staff purchased bicycles through such schemes in 2005-06; whether the schemes are available through a range of suppliers; and whether arrangements are made to enable staff with disabilities to purchase adapted bicycles from a specialist supplier.

David Cairns: All staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and are able to access any initiatives operated by their parent Departments.

PRIME MINISTER

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Michael Gove: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the right hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (Mr. Brown) holding office as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 264W.

Engagements

Hywel Williams: To ask the Prime Minister how many meetings he has had with the First Minister for Wales in each of the last three years.

Tony Blair: I have meetings with the First Minister for Wales on a regular basis to discuss matters of mutual interest.

India

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what discussions took place in his recent meetings with the Prime Minister of India on caste and descent-based discrimination in India and other countries;
	(2)  what  (a) matters were discussed and  (b) decisions were taken at the UK-India summit on 10 October.

Tony Blair: I discussed a wide range of issues with Prime Minister Singh during the third annual UK-India summit. I also refer the hon. Member to the speech I made at the Investment summit at Lancaster House, and to the press conference I held with Prime Minister Singh on 10 October 2006. Transcripts of these are available on the No. 10 website and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Peerages

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister who has been made a life peer within two years of previously having been an hon. Member since 1 May 1997, broken down by party.

Tony Blair: Details of all peerages are published in the London Gazette, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Social Exclusion

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whom he consulted before making his speech in September 2006 on social exclusion; who wrote his speech; what input he had into its writing; what percentage of the speech he wrote; which  (a) individuals and  (b) organisations he consulted before delivering his speech; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he received from  (a) hon. Members and  (b) members of the public about his speech made in September 2006 on social exclusion; how many (i) supported and (ii) opposed the contents of his speech; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what the evidential basis was for his statement that it is possible to identify children who could grow up to be a potential risk to society before they are born; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I wrote my speech following submissions from a wide range of individuals and organisations.
	Chapter 3 of 'Reaching Out: An Action Plan on Social Exclusion' sets out the Government's approach on social exclusion and the topic of early identification. Further detailed information on the research papers on risk and protective factors and early intervention were published at the time of my speech and are available on the Number 10 website. Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House.
	Since my speech I have received 28 letters about the issue of social exclusion. Given the volume of correspondence I receive, thousands of letters each week covering a broad spectrum of issues, my office records letters by subject rather than by the view expressed.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

2012 Olympics

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made with the KPMG review of the costs for the 2012 Olympics; when she expects to announce their final conclusions; and if she will make a statement.

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the KPMG report on the funding review of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics is expected to be published.

Richard Caborn: KPMG are providing ongoing advice to the Government to help with analysis of the costs associated with the Olympic programme. This advice will inform the development of the Olympic Delivery Authority's Corporate Plan, which is due to be published in 2007.

2012 Olympics

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Government regeneration budget is for the 2012 Olympics broken down by programme.

Richard Caborn: The budget for the 2012 Olympics has yet to be finalised. It will encompass spending on a number of items of regeneration the context for which is the Government's wider spending plans for the regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley and Thames Gateway.

2012 Olympics

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who the funder of last resort is of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics should it go over budget.

Richard Caborn: In accordance with the requirement of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) the costs of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are underwritten by HM Government. However, the 2003 Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and the Mayor of London provides for a sharing arrangement to be agreed as appropriate between them.

2012 Olympics

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of the London 2012 Legacy Guidelines.

Richard Caborn: The overall objectives for the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games clearly outline that we must plan to achieve a sustainable legacy for London and the UK. Considering the legacy impact is therefore an integral part of our planning for the Games. A copy of these objectives will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	For each issue, ranging from the hard physical legacy of the Park to the softer social, economic and environmental legacy, the most relevant organisation has been tasked with maximising the benefits before, during, and after the Games. In addition, an Olympic Park Legacy Group, involving all the key partners, has been set up to understand, influence and advise on proposals for the legacy of the Olympic Park.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules contained in the Department's staff handbook.
	For the period October 2005 to September 2006 my Department's expenditure on taxi travel was 23,473.41. It represents expenditure on taxis provided by the Department's contracted agent, black cabs and taxis in London and elsewhere.

Disability Discrimination Acts

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the progress of leisure and tourism facilities in complying with the Disability Discrimination Acts.

Shaun Woodward: The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requires all providers of tourism and leisure services to address physical barriers faced by disabled people in using their services. Beyond this my Department is working with the tourism industry to ensure that access is available to all.
	My Department fully supports VisitBritain in its operation of the national accessible scheme. The scheme covers the full range of visitor accommodation in three main areas of disabilitymobility, hearing impairment and visual impairment.
	The need to greatly improve disability provision is also prominent in Welcome: Legacy, my Department's current consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. The consultation seeks views on how best to increase participation in the accessible scheme from the present 435 providers, and on the possible use of the general national accommodation quality schemes to improve levels of provision for disabled visitors. The consultation ends on 17 November.

Free TV Licences

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioner households qualified for free television licences in each constituency in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Shaun Woodward: TV Licensing, which administers free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, information on the number of households in each constituency in Great Britain (with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment as at winter 2005-06, compiled by the Department for Work and Pensions,) is available in the House Libraries.

Gambling Act

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the criteria are by which casino pilot schemes introduced under the Gambling Act 2005 will be judged; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: No earlier than three years after the award of the first premises licence we will assess whether the introduction of the one regional, eight large and eight small casinos permitted by the Gambling Act 2005 has led to an increase in problem gambling or is increasing the risk. We will also assess what the regeneration and other economic outcomes have been. It will then be for Parliament to decide whether to permit any further casinos, and we will ensure that Parliament has the full facts available to it when it debates this issue.
	We will undertake a baseline study next year, once the areas where the new casinos are to be located have been approved by Parliament. Following a tendering process, the Department has recently awarded a contract to a group of academics to advise on the appropriate methodology for carrying out the necessary monitoring and evaluation. I expect them to report in early December.

Heroes Return Scheme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners in each region have applied for the Heroes Return Scheme.

Richard Caborn: The Heroes Return Scheme, developed by the Big Lottery Fund, recognises the importance of the sacrifices and contribution made by millions in the war effort. All those who were deemed eligible were funded. The table shows how many by region.
	
		
			   Number of pensioners 
			 Based abroad 170 
			 East Midlands 1,943 
			 Eastern 2,754 
			 London 2,560 
			 North East 921 
			 North West 2,967 
			 South East 5,600 
			 South West 3,998 
			 West Midlands 2,843 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 2,177 
			 England total 25,933 
			   
			 Scotland 1,377 
			 Northern Ireland 150 
			 Wales 1,271

Independent Fees Review Panel

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of the recommendations of the interim report of the Independent Fees Review Panel her Department has implemented; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: I wrote to Sir Les Elton in July about implementing the recommendations in the Licensing Fees Review Panel's interim report.
	As part of the initial review of Statutory Guidance to licensing authorities, we have already clarified the position on premises plans.
	We have also clarified the position for licensing authorities on the development of collective working practices and are exploring good practice in this area for wider dissemination.
	A central source of information for licence payers about the Licensing Act 2003 will be completed later this autumn.
	We have considered the possibility of simplifying the application process by introducing alternative methods of advertising applications. We will consult on options when considering any possible amendments to regulations.
	We have also agreed in principle to the panel's recommendation for a single date for payment of the annual fee. We are considering the technical aspects (such as transitional arrangements) and the options for which date to adopt. Licence holders will be given notice before new arrangements are brought in and we have been clear in the meantime, they should continue to pay their annual fee as the current law requires.

Internet Advertising

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government have taken to regulate advertising campaigns via the medium of electronic games made available across the internet; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Government have no plans to regulate in this area.

Internet Neutrality

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with  (a) other Departments,  (b) telecommunications companies and  (c) other interested parties on internet neutrality; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: No Ministers or officials in the Department have had such discussions.

Licensing Act

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations her Department has received on the cost of obtaining premises licences under the Licensing Act 2003 for schools; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Department has received a small number of representations from schools about the cost of obtaining a premises licence.
	Schools are, of course, exempt from the fees associated with the authorisation of regulated entertainment where the entertainment is provided by and at the school and for the purposes of the school.

Licensing Act

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of schools falling into band  (a) A,  (b) B,  (c) C,  (d) D and  (e) E rateable value bands for the purposes of premises licences granted under the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Department has made no estimates of the number of schools falling into each of the fee bands for premises licences.
	We believe that the majority of schools will use temporary event notices to cover licensable activities.

Licensing Act

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department will publish its review of the guidance issued to local authorities under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Secretary of State expects shortly to begin consultations on draft revised Guidance to licensing authorities.. The public consultation exercise will last for 12 weeks. We expect to issue finalised revised Guidance early in 2007.

Minimum Wage

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many employees in  (a) her Department and  (b) its associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies were affected by the rise in the minimum wage on 1 October.

David Lammy: None of the employees in this Department or its Agency were affected by the rise in the minimum wage on the 1 October. The information for the non-departmental public bodies could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Offices

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 961W, on ministerial offices, what the cost was of each redecoration project; and what the total cost of redecoration was over the last five years.

David Lammy: Pursuant to the answer of 24 July 2006, Official Report, column 961, on ministerial offices, the cost of each redecoration to the office of the Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport was as follows: in 2002 the office was decorated at an estimated cost of 1,200 following water ingress caused by exterior stone cleaning; in 2005 the office was repainted at an estimated cost of 1,300 as part of a planned schedule of works; and in 2006 the office was decorated as part of a complete refurbishment of the DCMS main building at 2-4 Cockspur Street at an estimated cost of 18,164. This includes costs for replacing furniture damaged by faulty air conditioning.
	Total cost of redecorating and refurbishment over the last five years equates to the sum total of the above figures, i.e. 20,664. All figures are exclusive of VAT.

Overseas Heritage Memorial Fund

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to establish an Overseas Heritage Memorial Fund.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to establish an Overseas Heritage Memorial Fund.

Press Releases

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases her Department has issued since April.

David Lammy: The number of press releases issued by the Department since April is 82.

Sport England

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people applied for the post of Chair of Sport England; who was on the interview panel; how many people were interviewed; how many candidates were subsequently recommended to her; and whether she accepted the recommendation.

Tessa Jowell: 29 people applied for the post of Sport England Chair. The interview panel was chaired by Jeff Jacobs, director-general for children, young people and communities at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and included: Mike Farrar, Sport England board member; Sir Keith Mills, deputy chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Sheila Hewitt, an independent assessor.
	Four candidates were interviewed and, in accordance with the principles of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Bodies' Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies, the interview panel recommended to me a choice of two candidates. One of these recommended candidates was then appointed by me.

Sports Facilities Funding

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 727-28W, on sports facilities, how much of the 40 million available for the Community Club Development programme has been allocated; and what the relevant deadlines are for applications for funds until 2008.

Richard Caborn: 40 million has been allocated to 19 national governing bodies (NGBs) in the period 2006-08. These NGBs have allocated, in principle, 35.5 million of this amount to community sports club projects.
	There is no formal deadline for CCDP applications; NGBs will consider applications until their agreed allocations for 2006-08 have been fully committed.

Television Licences

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many official warning letters have been sent out in the past 12 months by television licensing enforcement divisions to households that do not own a television set.

Shaun Woodward: The BBC has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system and TV Licensing carries out the day to day administration under contract to the Corporation. I have referred this question to the BBC's Head of Revenue Management and asked him to reply directly. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Tourism

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support the Government are providing for leisure and catering initiatives in the tourism industry.

Shaun Woodward: The Department awarded grant in aid of some 50 million this year in support of VisitBritain's work to promote Britain abroad and England domestically.
	Domestically, VisitEngland's present television advertising campaign highlights a range of contemporary leisure pursuits. EnjoyEngland includes the domestic TasteEngland campaign which promotes the excellent catering available throughout the English regions. VisitBritain also has a long-term marketing partnership in place with Food From Britain who promote regional food and drink.
	In the leisure and catering workforce, the Department works closely with People 1st, the Sector Skills Council for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism, to improve skill and productivity levels. We support People 1st's work to develop a National Skills Strategy for the sector, which will focus on improving management and leadership, chef and customer service skills alongside improving staff retention.

Tourism

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Government initiatives are in place to improve standards in UK tourism accommodation.

Shaun Woodward: Raising the quality of tourist accommodation across the UK is a high priority for DCMS, which has over the last four years sponsored work to improve and standardise the national accommodation grading schemes run by VisitBritain, VisitScotland, VisitWales, and the Automobile Association.
	The Department's consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Olympic games and Paralympic games, which continues until November 17, seeks responses on increasing the proportion of accommodation providers which participate in grading schemes. The Department is also currently in discussion with the Office of Government Commerce about all Government Departments using only accommodation assessed under the improved schemes for official travel, (where this is operationally possible,) and within the constraints of competition law.

Tourism

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department is giving to co-ordination between regional tourism initiatives and those of VisitBritain.

Shaun Woodward: The Department is working actively with its public sector partners and the industry to improve the Government's engagement with tourism policymakers at all levels.
	The Department fully supports the Partners for England initiative, designed to co-ordinate better the marketing and other tourism support work of VisitBritain, the England Marketing Advisory Board, the Regional Development Agencies, and local authorities across the country. Officials attended both national Partners for England seminars held in December 2005 and June 2006.

UK Visitor Attractions

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department is giving to visitor attractions in the UK.

Shaun Woodward: The Department works with the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions and the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers, and Attractions on a range of tourism issues.
	VisitBritain also provides marketing support to the attractions sector, particularly through the prominent positions of leading national and regional attractions on its websites, www.visitbritain.co.uk and www.enjoyengland.com. VisitBritain also supports the visitor attraction quality assurance scheme.
	The Department also provides substantial grant in aid funding to the many publicly-owned cultural and other institutions which make up a significant element of the UK's attractions offer.

Video Games

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from the video games industry on the depiction of extreme material in video games.

Shaun Woodward: None. Although my officials and DTI colleagues, with whom we share sponsorship of the computer games industry, meet periodically with games industry trade associations to discuss a range of issues.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest assessment is of the level of helicopter support in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: A number of Allies provide helicopters in Afghanistan which UK forces are able to call upon. The original UK force package deployed to southern Afghanistan to support the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) included Apache, Lynx and Chinook helicopters, and was endorsed by the Chiefs of Staff. We have recently sent two additional CH-47 Chinooks to Afghanistan. This capability is kept under constant review.

Afghanistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to bring troops home from Afghanistan in winter 2006; what the total number of British troops in Afghanistan will be in that period; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: On 26 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 1529-33, the then Secretary of State for Defence announced a three year deployment to Afghanistan; this deployment ends in 2009. Troop numbers fluctuate as personnel move in and out of theatre, but current UK troop levels stand at around 6,200; of these, roughly 1,400 are in Kabul and 4,800 are in the South. On current plans, the first substantial reduction in troop numbers will occur when HQ ARRC hands over command in February 2007.

Afghanistan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make representations to the Treasury for increased resources for operations in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence will be seeking funding for the cost of operations in Afghanistan, in consultation with the Treasury, at Winter Supplementary Estimates in November. Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise the amount and reasons for the funding sought. The costs of military operations are met, by convention, from the Treasury's Reserves.

Afghanistan

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel casualties and injuries have been sustained in Afghanistan in each month since the United Kingdom deployment to that country.

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel have been  (a) killed and  (b) wounded, including those treated in the field, since current UK deployments to Afghanistan began.

Adam Ingram: holding answers 9 October 2006
	Casualty statistics have been compiled centrally since the deployment to Helmand Province in January 2006. These statistics are published on the Defence website, every month, one month in arrears, and are available at www.mod.uk.
	Work is in hand to collate the statistics from November 2001, when operations first began, and will be published in due course once we can verify that the statistics are correct as they are held by a number of different sources. I will write to the hon. Member once this has been completed.

Afghanistan

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to send more helicopters to support troops in Helmand province.

Adam Ingram: Following the Secretary of State for Defence's announcement on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 74-76WS, we have sent two additional CH-47 Chinooks to Afghanistan, making a total of eight, and increased the number of flying hours. The force package is endorsed by the chiefs of staff and kept under regular review.

Aircraft

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Nimrod aircraft were operated by the RAF in each of the last 10 years; what the average age was of these aircraft in each year; what the age was of the oldest aircraft operated in each year; what plans he has to replace these aircraft; and if he will make statement.

Des Browne: holding answer 13 September 2006
	The following table shows the number of Nimrod aircraft in service at the end of March of each financial year. It also shows their average age and what the age was of the oldest Nimrod aircraft operated by the RAF in each of the last 10 years.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of aircraft  Average age of aircraft in year  Oldest aircraft in year 
			 1996-97 29 26 28 
			 1997-98 28 27 29 
			 1998-99 26 28 30 
			 1999-2000 26 29 31 
			 2000-01 24 30 32 
			 2001-02 24 31 33 
			 2002-03 24 32 34 
			 2003-04 24 33 35 
			 2004-05 24 34 36 
			 2005-06 24 35 37 
		
	
	The Nimrod MR2 will be replaced by the Nimrod MRA4, which has a planned in service date of 2010. A production contract for 12 MRA4 aircraft was announced in a written ministerial statement on 18 July 2006,  Official Report, column 14WS. On current plans, the Nimrod R1 aircraft will continue to provide an electronic reconnaissance capability with incremental upgrades to that capability.

Aircraft Ejections

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ejections from British military aircraft there were in each of the last 25 years, broken down by service.

Adam Ingram: The number of ejections for each year since 1981 for the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy are given in the following table. The Army (Army Air Corps) does not operate aircraft which are fitted with ejection seats.
	
		
			   Royal Air Force  Royal Navy 
			 1981 13 1 
			 1982 12 2 
			 1983 13 3 
			 1984 12 2 
			 1985 7 1 
			 1986 12 1 
			 1987 8 1 
			 1988 8 0 
			 1989 11 2 
			 1990 8 0 
			 1991 7 1 
			 1992 4 1 
			 1993 3 0 
			 1994 3 3 
			 1995 5 1 
			 1996 7 2 
			 1997 4 0 
			 1998 3 0 
			 1999 3 0 
			 2000 2 2 
			 2001 1 1 
			 2002 0 1 
			 2003 2 1 
			 2004 3 0 
			 2005 1 0 
			 2006 1 0

Approved Projects

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2006,  Official Report, column 206W, on approved projects, which approved projects are in each category.

Adam Ingram: The following lists provide details on projects in categories A to C, aspects of which received approval decisions during 2005-06(1).
	 Category A projects:
	Brimstone
	Land Environment Air Picture Provision
	Precision Guided Bomb
	Tornado Future Support Programme
	Chinook Mark 3
	Chinook T55 Capability Sustainment and Future Support Programme
	Future Rotorcraft Capability
	Munitions Acquisition Supply Solution
	Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme
	Merlin Future Support Programme
	Chinook Future Support
	Enhanced Capability for Armoured Training Systems
	Airborne Stand-Off Radar
	Future Carrier
	Digitisation of the Battlespace (Land)Combat, Infra and Platform
	Project FALCON
	Future Provision of Marine Services
	Project PICASSO
	Skynet 5
	Watchkeeper
	Astute Class Procurement
	Combined Aerial Targets Service
	Nimrod Future Support
	Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme
	Future Defence Supply Chain Initiative
	Human Resources Service Delivery Organisation
	Joint Command and Control Support Programme
	Whole Fleet Management
	Project Allenby and Connaught
	Corsham Development Project
	D154 Project Devonport
	Defence Housing ExecutivePrime Contract
	Future Joint Combat Aircraft Basing
	Northwood PFI
	Defence Estates Regional Prime ContractingCentral
	Support Vehicles
	Defence Estates Regional Prime ContractingEast
	MOD Estates London
	UK Intelligence Web and SCOPE connection
	Future Military Aviation Radar Service
	Project HELIX
	Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability
	Maritime Air Surveillance and Control
	 Category B projects:
	Advanced Jet Trainer
	Typhoon Aircrew Synthetic Training Aid
	High Velocity Missile Support
	Rapier Support
	Tornado GR4/4a Collision Warning System
	Tornado Future Support ProgrammeRB 199
	Tornado Future Support Programme
	Tornado Capability Upgrade Strategy
	AS90 Equipment Support Project
	Chinook Mark 2/2a Coherency
	Future Rotorcraft Capability
	Gnome Engine Future Support Project
	RTM 322 Engine Future Support Project
	Anti-Structures Munition
	Interim Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle Capability
	Joint UAV Experimental Programme
	Project Eagle
	Joint Casualty Treatment Ship
	Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme
	Science and Technology Upgrade (Including Sonar 2076)
	Future Logistics IS Support Delivery Project
	Material FlowManagement of Joint Deployed Inventory
	Training Administration and Financial Management Information System
	Joint Approach to VC10 Engineering and Logistic Integration
	Defence Academy Shrivenham
	Project DMETA
	Integration Authority
	Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapon System
	Oracle Enterprise Agreement
	 Category C projects( 2) :
	Large Aircraft Infra Red Counter Measures
	Project CUTLASS
	Increased Protection Body Armour
	NBC Battlefield Information System Application
	SA80 Assault Rifle
	SNATCH 2
	Surveillance Systems And Range Finding
	Project VECTOR
	Consignment Visibility
	Defensive Anti-Surface Warfare
	Maritime Composite Training System
	Defence E-Learning Delivery and Management Capability
	DNA(2)T23 Frigate Command System Update
	Sonar 2054
	Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
	Anson/High Grade Messaging Service (HMG)
	DCSA End to End Service Management System (Networks)
	J1/J4 Interim Op SupportInterim fit in advance of DII(FD) (J1/J4)
	Joint Command System (Logistics)
	Material FlowManagement of Material in Transit
	Digital Diagnosis Repair
	Future Light Equipment Transporter
	Temporary Deployed Accommodation
	Future Crypto Project
	Interoperable Electronic Key Distribution
	Land Systems Reference Centre
	(1) Some projects contain aspects delegated across more than one category causing them to appear in more than one list.
	(2) Four projects have been excluded from the list as they relate to special forces.
	 Note:
	Two projects have been excluded to safeguard national security and to avoid prejudice to the security of the armed forces.
	Information on category D projects is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armoured Vehicles

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons he prefers the Pinzgauer Vector armoured vehicles in Afghanistan to the Cougar; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Vector and Cougar vehicles provide different capabilities.
	The Pinzgauer Vector vehicle is agile and highly mobile over a range of terrains including rugged terrain. It is particularly suitable for the long range patrols, which are a feature of operations in Afghanistan. We also currently plan, however, to deploy a number of upgraded Cougar vehicles (known as Mastiff), which is a heavier and larger vehicle, to provide commanders with a wider choice of vehicles.

Armoured Vehicles

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the  (a) Cougar and  (b) Vector will be sent to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Des Browne: We are procuring around 100 Cougar vehicles and are on schedule to deliver an Initial Operational Capability to Iraq by the end of the year. We are also on schedule to deliver an Initial Operational Capability of the Pinzgauer Vector vehicle to Afghanistan by the end of January 2007.

Armoured Vehicles

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans are there to introduce the SG31 as a replacement for the snatch Landrover.

Des Browne: I announced in my statement on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 74WS, the procurement of almost 400 vehicles with improved protection for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, including Mastiff (also known as Cougar), Vector and up-armoured FV430. These will provide commanders with a range of vehicles of varying protection, mobility and profile, to be used according to operational circumstances. We have no plans to procure RG-31.

Army Continuous Attitude Survey

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of respondents to Question 39C in the Army Continuous Attitude Survey, September to December 2005 were  (a) positive,  (b) neutral and  (c) negative on the matter.

Derek Twigg: In carrying out further analysis of Question 39c, an error was discovered in the analysis of the number of comments made by respondents which was used in my answer of 5 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1352W. I apologise for this error. For the record, I have issued a correction with the answer to this Parliamentary Question. The analysis of Question 39c is summarised as follows together with revised tables on the number and types of comments. Overall, a total of 90 Officers and 252 Soldiers commented on Question 39c, which equates to 8 per cent. and 16 per cent. respectively of those who responded to the questionnaire.
	The numbers of respondents who made positive, neutral or negative comments, or comments that included a mix of all three are given in the following table.
	
		
			Total comments 
			Positive  Neutral  Negative  Combined 
			   Total respondents  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Officers 90 17 19 3 3 53 59 17 19 
			 Soldiers 252 62 25 10 4 157 62 23 9 
			 Total 342 79 23 13 4 210 61 40 12 
		
	
	Some respondents made more than one comment and the following tables give a breakdown of the comments. This corrects my answer of 5 July. The first table gives a breakdown of whether each of the comments was positive, negative or neutral.
	
		
			Positive  Neutral  Negative 
			   Total comments  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Officers 129 34 26 7 5 88 68 
			 Soldiers 350 85 24 14 4 251 72 
			 Total 479 119 25 21 4 339 71 
		
	
	This table gives a breakdown of the total number of negative comments made by category:
	
		
			   Number of comments 
			  Category  Officers  Soldiers 
			 1. Stigma attached to complaining 8 13 
			 2. Pressure not to complain 3 7 
			 3. Fear of further victimisation/bad reaction from person responsible for unfair treatment 4 22 
			 4. Would have made the situation worse 7 26 
			 5. Do not know/did not know what to do 3 10 
			 6. Pointlessnothing changes 22 54 
			 7. Did not feel the need to/could not be bothered to complain 5 22 
			 8. Part of Army life 5 7 
			 9. Lack of trust in the system 2 25 
			 10. Leaving soon or moving jobs (respondent or person responsible for unfair treatment) 0 7 
			 11. Currently being dealt with 2 1 
			 12. Effect on career prospects 7 14 
			 13. Dealt with in-house/informal complaint made 0 1 
			 14. Not suffered any unfair treatment 0 0 
			 15. General comments about unfair treatment suffered/suffering (no mention of complaint) 17 40 
			 16. Other (any comments that do not fit the above categories) 3 2

Bevin Boys

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the reply by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence to the Adjournment Debate of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 845-8, on the Bevin Boys, what steps he has taken to assess the case for a medal for the Bevin Boys.

Derek Twigg: As indicated by my predecessor during the adjournment debate on 25 July 2006, the Ministry of Defence is examining in more detail the case for the creation of a specific badge to recognise the contribution during the second world war of the Bevin Boys. This is being done in consultation with other Government Departments who have an interest in these issues; officials have also met with the Bevin Boys Association to consider in more detail their views. I will report on the outcome of this work in the near future.

Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the General Officer Commanding 2 Division spent on his entertainment budget during the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in  (a) 2006 and  (b) each of the preceding three years.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 9 October 2006
	The following table shows expenditure from public funds on entertainment by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division during the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
	
		
			  Financial year  Expenditure () 
			 2006-07 2,400 
			 2005-06 2,200 
			 2004-05 2,900 
			 2003-04 1,400 
		
	
	Expenditure on official entertainment is subject to strict departmental rules and compliance with the principles of propriety set out in government accounting.

Enabling Acquisition Change Report

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Enabling Acquisition Change report.

Adam Ingram: Copies of the Enabling Acquisition Change report were placed in the Library of the House on 3 July 2006.

Iraq

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on human rights abuses in Basra.

Adam Ingram: Human rights abuses in Basra are matters for the Iraqi Government as a Sovereign state. The UK condemns all acts of abuse and we treat any allegations of wrongdoing extremely seriously. We are committed to supporting human rights and are working with the Government of Iraq and international partners to develop human rights awareness.

Iraq-UK Airbridge

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the efficiency of the airbridge between the UK and Iraq, with particular reference to troop movements.

Adam Ingram: Troop movements between the UK and Iraq are carried out in two stages, by charter aircraft between UK and Al Udeid in Qatar, and by protected tactical aircraft between Al Udeid and Iraq. Both elements of the airbridge are working well and meeting operational requirements.

Military Personnel

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) numbers in post and  (b) establishment is of Territorial Army (i) staff, (ii) Royal Armoured Corps, (iii) Royal Artillery, (iv) Royal Engineers, (v) Royal Signals, (vi) infantry, (vii) Army Air Corps, (viii) Royal Army Chaplains Department, (ix) Royal Logistics Corps, (x) Royal Army Medical Corps, (xi) Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, (xii) Adjutant General's Corps, (xiii) Royal Army Veterinary Corps, (xiv) Small Arms School Corps, (xv) Royal Army Dentistry Corps, (xvi) Intelligence Corps, (xvii) Army Physical Training Corps and (xviii) Queen Alexandra's Royal Auxiliary Nursing Corps.

Derek Twigg: A detailed breakdown of Territorial Army posts by cap badge within unit establishments is not currently available; however, the overall Territorial Army requirement as at 1 August 2006 was 42,000. As at 1 August 2006 the strength of the Territorial Army was 36,260. The following table provides a breakdown of the Territorial Army strengths, all Arm/Services are provided so that comparisons can be made against the total liability.
	
		
			  Territorial Army (TA) figures as at 1 August 2006 
			  Arm/Service  Liability  Strength 
			 Total 42,000 36,260 
			 Staff (1) 100 
			 Royal Armoured Corps / Household Cavalry (1) 1,260 
			 Royal Artillery (1) 2,280 
			 Corps of Royal Engineers (1) 2,460 
			 Royal Corps of Signals (1) 3,990 
			 Infantry (1) 7,350 
			 Army Air Corps (1) 100 
			 Royal Army Chaplains Department (1) 60 
			 Royal Logistics Corps (1) 6,060 
			 Royal Army Medical Corps (1) 2,660 
			 Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (1) 2,200 
			 Adjutant General's Corps (1) 1,240 
			 Royal Army Veterinary Corps (1) 10 
			 Small Arms School Corps (1) 10 
			 Royal Army Dental Corps (1) 60 
			 Intelligence Corps (1) 500 
			 Army Physical Training Corps (1) (1) 
			 General List (1) 340 
			 Queen Alexandra's Royal Auxiliary Nursing Corps (1) 1,030 
			 Officer Training Corps (1) 4,530 
			 (1) = zero or rounded to zero.  Notes: 1. TA Personnel include Group A  B, Mobilised TA and Officer Training Corps (OTC), and exclude Non Regular Permanent Staff and Full Time Reserve Service. 2. All data have been rounded to the nearest 10. Due to the rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts. Numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Public Relations Officers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) job titles and  (b) job descriptions are of the (i) press officers and (ii) other public relations officers working in his Department.

Derek Twigg: Job titles and job descriptions for press and public relations staff are drawn up by individual directorates and units according to the nature and specific requirements of a particular post at a particular time. Such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Super-garrisons

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the location of new super-garrisons.

Adam Ingram: The army aspires to quartering the majority of units in fewer, bigger and better garrisons called super-garrisons over the coming decades. At present the requirements and policies needed to develop such super-garrisons are being considered, and a feasibility study and a strategic environmental assessment have been launched. The actual locations of super-garrisons have yet to be decided.

Trident

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1945W, on Trident, what the estimated service life is of the Trident warhead pit.

Des Browne: I am withholding details of the estimated life of the Trident warhead pit as its disclosure would prejudice the defence of the United Kingdom.

Trident

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to upgrade the Stronglink and Weaklink safety systems on the Trident warhead.

Des Browne: I am withholding this information as its disclosure would prejudice the security of the United Kingdom.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Reaching Out

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many copies of 'Reaching Out' she sent to  (a) the Library and  (b) the Vote Office (i) on the day of publication and (ii) subsequently.

Hilary Armstrong: In accordance with standard practice for depositing papers in the Library, four copies of Reaching Out: An Action Plan on Social Exclusion were placed in the Members' Library for the reference of Members on the day of publication. This included one copy which was sent to Derby Gate Library. Two copies of the action plan were placed in the Library in the Other Place for the reference of Noble Lords. In addition the action plan was also published on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/social_exclusion_task_force/reaching out/
	Additional copies have now been made available in the Vote Office for Members and the Printed Paper Office for Noble Lords.

Admiralty House

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much has been spent on maintaining and running Admiralty House, excluding renovations and refurbishment, in each year since 1997-98.

Hilary Armstrong: The Cabinet Office is responsible for costs associated with the common parts of Admiralty House, as well as for maintaining the fabric of the entire building. Admiralty House includes ground floor state rooms which are used by Government for 200 events every year.
	For figures relating to previous financial years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 October 2005,  Official Report, column 326W, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman).
	The cost of maintaining and running Admiralty House for 2005-06 was 217,584. As with the totals stated for previous years, this figure does not include business rates.

Departmental Staff

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of  (a) staff and  (b) new staff employed since April 2005 in (i) her Department and (ii) each of the agencies for which she has responsibility is recorded as disabled.

Patrick McFadden: Data on the number of staff who are registered as disabled are published annually. The latest published data are for 1 April 2005 and are available in the Library for the reference of Members and on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/publications/xls/report_2005/table_p.xls
	On new entrants to the Department between 1 April 2005 and 31 August 2006, where the information requested results in a figure of five or less these figures are not released as disclosure could lead to the identification of the people involved.
	Unfortunately on this occasion I am unable to provide the information.
	The Office for National Statistics are currently collecting detailed data (including information on disabled status) on civil servants in Departments and agencies with a 30 September 2006 reference date. These data will be available in 2007.
	The declaration of a disability is through a method of self-declaration and is voluntary. Therefore data are only available on those staff who wish to declare themselves as disabled.

Minimum Wage

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many employees in  (a) her Department and  (b) its associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies were affected by the rise in the minimum wage on 1 October.

Hilary Armstrong: No employees in the Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies were affected by the rise in the minimum wage on 1 October.

Ripley Building

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the estimated  (a) rental and  (b) capital value is of the Ripley Building in Whitehall.

Patrick McFadden: The Ripley and Kirkland buildings are adjoining and share common infrastructure. Accordingly there is no formal valuation of the individual buildings and it is not possible to provide a separate rental value.

Ripley Building

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Departments and sub-divisions the civil servants in the Ripley Building are allocated to.

Patrick McFadden: Civil servants from the Cabinet Office, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Deputy Prime Minister's Office are accommodated in the Ripley Building (26 Whitehall).

Ripley Building

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent on  (a) security,  (b) utilities,  (c) facilities management and  (d) general maintenance for the Ripley Building in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Patrick McFadden: Civil servants from the Cabinet Office, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Deputy Prime Minister's Office are accommodated in the Ripley Building (26 Whitehall). The spend on utilities, facilities management and general maintenance for the Ripley Building in 2005-06 was 870,000. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on security matters.

Social Exclusion

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps she plans to take to target single parent families under the new social exclusion plans.

Hilary Armstrong: Since 1997, there has been considerable progress in tackling exclusion among lone parent households. Provisions in the New Deal for Lone Parents have been successful not only in improving job readiness of lone parents, but also in moving them into work. Indeed, employment rates for this group increased from 45.3 per cent. in 1997 to 56.6 per cent, in 2006. There are now around a million lone parents in work for the first time ever.
	The Social Exclusion Action Plan announces a series of new demonstration projects to support families at risk of, or already experiencing, social exclusion. One of the guiding principles of the action plan is that we need to move towards more sophisticated approaches for identifying the specific factors which place people at risk of, or protect them from, negative outcomes. This is vital to ensure that programmes are targeted at those who need support most and at those who are likely to benefit.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Carter Review

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many representations she has received from practising  (a) solicitors and  (b) barristers about the proposals in the Carter Review report.

Vera Baird: As at 13 October, the DCA and Legal Services Commission (LSC) had received 2,695 responses on the proposals in the consultation paper Legal Aid: a sustainable future. Due to the number of responses and the fact that the consultation period only closed on 12 October the LSC is unable to provide a breakdown of responses received from practising solicitors and barristers.

Consultancy Fees

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much her Department spent on consultancy fees in each year between 2001-02 and 2004-05.

Vera Baird: My Department also replies on behalf of its Associated Offices and the former Court Service.
	From April 2001 until March 2005, my Department's expenditure with consultants was as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2001-02 6.5 
			 2002-03 5.7 
			 2003-04 9.0 
			 2004-05 10.6

Consultancy Fees

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1798W, on consultancy fees, for what purposes her Department employed Barry Sutlieff.

Vera Baird: Mr. Sutlieff was employed to fill a short term skills gap. He devised a communications strategy and provided advertising and communication advice to the Judicial Appointments Commission Implementation Team, in financial year 2004-05. The strategy set out how to promote awareness across key stakeholders about how the creation of the Judicial Appointments Commission, upon implementation of the Constitutional Reform Act, would affect Judicial Appointments and what these changes would mean for them.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much her Department spent on organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months.

Vera Baird: It is not possible to provide details of the amount spent by the Department on organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months as this information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much her Department spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

Vera Baird: It is not possible to list the costs spent on taxis by the Department in the last 12 months without incurring disproportionate costs as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts.
	All Civil Service travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Electoral Registration

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the prevalence of the payment of bonus money to officials in electoral registration departments of local authorities.

Bridget Prentice: The Government have not made any assessment of bonus payments to officials. The payment of financial incentives to officials in electoral registration departments is a decision for local authorities.

Legal Aid

Anne Milton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely impact of a reduction in legal aid fees on the numbers of available legal aid family lawyers.

Vera Baird: The proposals in the DCA/Legal Services Commission consultation paper, 'Legal Aid: a sustainable future', have been devised to be cost neutral. A draft regulatory impact assessment is available from the DCA website, www.dca.gov.uk. This includes an analysis of the impact of the proposals on legal aid providers. Consultation closed on 12 October and we will issue our response on the way forward in due course. The final proposals will include a full impact analysis which will look at the effect on providers of any changes to the market.

Legal Aid

Anne Milton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many representations on fees for legal aid family lawyers she has received from  (a) Guildford,  (b) Surrey and  (c) England; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: As at 11 October, the DCA and Legal Services Commission had received 148 responses on the proposals for family legal aid fees set out in the consultation paper Legal Aid: a sustainable future. None of these responses were from Guildford or Surrey.

Local Election Candidates

Dawn Butler: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will introduce proposals to impose a duty on local authorities to report to the Electoral Commission breaches of the requirement on local election candidates to return the relevant election expenses forms.

Bridget Prentice: We have no plans to impose such a duty on local authorities.

Rome Convention

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what progress has been made on negotiations within the EU on converting the Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations into a Community Regulation and modernising some of its rules (Rome I).

Vera Baird: The European Commission issued the draft Rome I regulation in December 2005. The Council of Ministers Working Group, which comprises officials and other non-ministerial representatives of member states and the Commission, met in May, July and September to discuss the draft. The Presidency has considered the comments made and has now produced a revised draft text. The Working Group will meet again in late October and, subject to confirmation by the Presidency, in December.
	The proposed Rome I regulation is subject to co-decision. The JURI (Legal Affairs) Committee of the European Parliament has given initial consideration to the report of its Rapporteur on the proposal.

Small Claims

Louise Ellman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she expects the work her Department has undertaken to make the small claims process more timely, proportionate and cost-effective to be finished.

Vera Baird: A forthcoming consultation paper will consider issues relating to the case track limits and ways of improving the claim process to make it more timely, cost-effective, and proportionate. Responses to that paper will help to inform future work in this area and it is therefore not possible to provide a definite timetable for its completion at present.

Small Claims

Louise Ellman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what work her Department has undertaken with stakeholders to improve the small claims process.

Vera Baird: Work to identify ways of improving the claims process is being informed by discussions with representatives of key stakeholder organisations, through a main stakeholder group, which meets every six weeks and includes representatives of the legal profession, trade unions, insurance industry and consumer organisations. We have also engaged with stakeholders via smaller ad hoc workshops and meetings.

Solicitors

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what advice her Department has issued on lay representation for complainants appearing before a solicitors' disciplinary tribunal.

Bridget Prentice: The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) is an independent organisation and as such this Department has not issued any advice on lay representation for those appearing before it. The SDT issues no written guidance on representation before the Tribunal but provides a list of solicitors specialising in this area to all parties involved.
	The SDT has confirmed that in over 90 per cent. of cases a person complaining to the SDT makes his or her complaint via the Law Society, which will itself refer the complaint to the SDT. In cases where there is a direct complaint to the tribunal from a member of the public, he or she may represent themselves or obtain professional or lay representation. However, lay representation is hardly ever used.

Solicitors

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many solicitors have been found guilty of breaches of the Solicitors Practice Rules 1990 since 2004.

Bridget Prentice: The Law Society keeps statistics on solicitors who have been subject to sanctions by the Law Society and the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. It does not maintain statistics on the basis of whether the misconduct was a breach of the practice rules or of other regulations.
	The number of solicitors subject to a penalty by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal since 2004 is:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2006 (to date) 141 
			 2005 211 
			 2004 236

Voting Arrangements

Paul Burstow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what arrangements are in place to enable the mentally ill to vote; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Electoral Administration Act 2006 has introduced a number of measures to allow electors who suffer from mental illness to vote. Section 35 of the Act provides that patients detained in mental hospitals can either vote by post or proxy, or in person at a polling station if they have permission to leave the hospital for whatever reason.
	In addition, section 73 of the Act has abolished the old common law that prevented certain persons from voting due to their mental state.
	We intend to commence these sections of the Act in time for elections in May 2007.

NORTHERN IRELAND

A20

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how much was spent on the A20 road between Portaferry and Newtownards in each of the last 10 financial years;
	(2)  what the most recent estimate is of the total number of vehicles using the A20 road daily between Greyabbey and Portaferry; and what the figures were  (a) five and  (b) 10 years ago;
	(3)  what the most recent estimate is of the total number of vehicles using the A20 road daily between Greyabbey and Newtownards; and what the figures were  (a) five,  (b) 10 and  (c) 20 years ago.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	 Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 16 October 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland three parliamentary Questions:
	 (i) How much was spent on the A20 road between Portaferry and Newtownards in each of the last 10 financial years;
	 (ii) What the most recent estimate is of the total number of vehicles using the A20 road daily between Greyabbey and Portaferry; and what the figures were for  (a) five and  (b) 10 years ago; and
	 (iii) What the most recent estimate is of the total number of vehicles using the A20 road daily between Greyabbey and Newtownards; and what the figures were  (a) five,  (b) 10 and  (c) 20 years ago.
	I have been asked to reply as the issues raised fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	The following table shows the total expenditure by Roads Service on road improvement schemes on the A20 road for the past nine years. I should explain that while nine year's data are readily available, information prior to this period can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost to the Department.
	
		
			  Expenditure (000) 
			 2005-06 350.0 
			 2004-05 197.0 
			 2003-04 152.0 
			 2002-03 72.1 
			 2001-02 327.5 
			 2000-01 67.7 
			 1999-2000 114.1 
			 1998-99 35.3 
			 1997-98 31.4 
		
	
	You will note that in the past five years, almost 1 million has been spent on this road resulting in almost six miles of the A20 being resurfaced or surface dressed. This represents approximately 18 per cent. of the entire budget for the Ards area. This funding has also promoted a variety of other schemes including, carriageway reconstruction, sidelining, drainage, coastal protection, guard rail and traffic calming. I can assure you that the A20 road will continue to be considered for further improvement schemes in the future.
	With regard to your two questions on vehicle numbers using the A20, I should explain that Roads Service collects traffic volume data by means of 270 automatic census points strategically located throughout the Northern Ireland road network. Traffic flow at each site is recorded for one week in each quarter during the year and an annual average calculated. The results are published in Roads Service's Annual Traffic and Travel Information Report, which presents the traffic volumes in a variety of formats for each site.
	Unfortunately there is no permanent census point between Greyabbey and Portaferry, and therefore we are unable to provide traffic flow details for this section of the A20 road.
	However, there is a permanent traffic census point on the A20 between Greyabbey and Newtownards and the average daily number of vehicles using this road is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   A20 to Newtownards  A20 to Portaferry  Average daily traffic flow 
			 2005(1) 6,290 5,910 12,200 
			 2001 4,890 4,660 9,550 
			 1996 3,010 2,970 5,980 
			 1987(2) 3,480 3,410 6,890 
			 (1) 2005 is the latest year for which records are available. (2) Records for 1986 (20 years ago) are not available. The first year for which records are available is 1987.

Ballycastle-Campbeltown Ferry Service

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans his Department has for the reinstatement of the ferry service between Ballycastle and Campbeltown.

Maria Eagle: Reflecting on the present comprehensive spending review process and the public expenditure priorities ahead, the overall assessment is that no financial support can be offered to the reinstatement of the ferry service between Ballycastle and Campbeltown.

Bus Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times in the last 12 months a bus substitution service has operated on the Coleraine to Portrush rail route.

David Cairns: In the past 12 months, up to the end of September 2006, a bus substitution service was used on the Coleraine to Portrush rail route on 298 occasions, which is equivalent to some 2 per cent. of the total number of services scheduled.

Bus Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) weekday and  (b) weekend Ulsterbus services from Portaferry to Newtownards via Kircubbin are provided under the latest 2006 timetable; and how many were provided in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: Translink has advised me that the number of such journeys is as set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Portaferry to Newtownards via Kircubbin 
			   Number of services 
			  Timetable  Weekdays  Saturdays  Sundays 
			 Current (from October 2006) 10 6 4 
			 From March 2006 10 6 3 
			 From February 2005 11 8 3 
			 From May 2001 12 6 5

Concessionary Fares

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce concessionary fares on public transport for carers of disabled people in Northern Ireland.

David Cairns: The Department has no plans, at present, to extend the Northern Ireland Concessionary Fares Scheme to provide concessionary fares for the carers of people with disabilities. On 26 June 2006 the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland launched a review of the Scheme. This review will consider the feasibility and desirability of extending the provision of concessionary travel to additional categories, such as carers.

Criminal Justice Board

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members are of the Criminal Justice Board in Northern Ireland; how many times it has met in each year since its formation; and whether its minutes are published.

David Hanson: The Criminal Justice Board is made up of the heads or senior representatives of the seven main statutory criminal justice agencies in Northern Ireland and is chaired by the Director of Criminal Justice in the Northern Ireland Office.
	Board Members are:
	The Director of Northern Ireland Court Service;
	The Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service;
	ACC Criminal Justice, Police Service of Northern Ireland;
	The Chief Executive of the Probation Service for Northern Ireland;
	The Director of the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland;
	The Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency; and
	A senior representative of the Attorney General's Office.
	The Board was formed in May 1998, the frequency of meetings since then is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of meetings 
			 1998 3 
			 1999 4 
			 2000 5 
			 2001 5 
			 2002 3 
			 2003 4 
			 2004 7 
			 2005 10 
		
	
	Following a review of the board's operation and structure, meetings now take place on a two monthly cycle, with the facility to arrange special meetings at the request of the board.
	The minutes from the board meetings are not published.

Departmental Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2006,  Official Report, column 470W, on departmental expenditure, what steps have been taken to reduce the amount of money spent on advertising; and what review mechanism has been put in place to assess the effectiveness of these steps.

David Hanson: Work is under way to implement the new policies and practices set out in the advertising review report published in April 2006:
	The tender process for public notice and recruitment advertising placed in daily newspapers by government departments and their agencies is almost completed. Bids are being evaluated and the outcome will be announced in the next few weeks. Significant savings will result.
	Central Procurement Directorate has switched to online procurement supported by limited 'new-to-view' advertising in order to reduce costs.
	Central negotiations to strike a single government rate for campaign advertising with each of the main media organisations are almost complete. This is the first time this has been done on the basis of aggregated government spend. Substantial discounts off standard rates have been achieved across newspapers, television, radio and outdoor media. The rates will be available to all departments, their agencies and NDPBs.
	An open competition has been run to establish a new Framework Contract for the procurement of advertising agency services. It sets a maximum commission level of 13.5 per cent. a reduction of 1.5 per cent. on the previous commission rate. There is an expectation that agencies will deliver discounts below this figure. The protocol for the operation of the Framework sets new standards for briefing agencies, setting targets and measuring effectiveness.
	A new central Advertising Shared Service Centre will drive forward the value for money agenda to ensure advertising campaigns from across government are delivered within a strategic and budgetary framework.
	The preparatory work is being governed by a cross-departmental Programme Board which meets regularly to monitor progress. Regular reports on effectiveness will be made to me.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by  (a) his Office,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

Peter Hain: We cannot provide the information in the format requested by the hon. Member as to do so would incur disproportionate cost.
	All travel is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code.
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.

Fireworks

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fireworks licences were issued in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The figures requested are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of firework licences issued in each of the last five years 
			   Category 2 licences  Category 3 licences  Total issued 
			 2002 (1)999 131 1,130 
			 2003 1,258 105 1,363 
			 2004 888 143 1,031 
			 2005 906 156 1,062 
			 2006(2) 130 74 204 
			 (1) From May 2002. (2 )From January to 16 October 2006.  Note: Prior to the introduction of the Explosives (Fireworks) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002, Category 2 fireworks did not require a licence.

Fireworks

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been injured in Northern Ireland as a result of careless or poor handling of fireworks in each district command unit area in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: Information on the number of people injured as a result of careless or poor handling of fireworks in each district command area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years is not available. However, Information on the number of people injured as a result of fireworks over the Halloween period, in Northern Ireland, for the years 2001 to 2005 is available and is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Location of A and E department or minor injuries unit  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Belfast City 7 1 0 2 1 
			 Downe 0 2 0 0 9 
			 Valley 2 0 0 2 5 
			 Mater 15 7 3 4 7 
			 Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children 9 6 0 5 2 
			 Royal Victoria Hospital 3 4 6 1 12 
			 Ards 3 0 1 2 2 
			 Bangor 2 1 0 1 0 
			 Ulster 9 1 3 2 4 
			 Coleraine 7 0 0 0 0 
			 Antrim 5 0 0 2 2 
			 Mid Ulster 4 1 3 3 3 
			 Whiteabbey 10 1 3 3 5 
			 South Tyrone 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Daisy Hill 20 6 3 13 11 
			 Altnagelvin 2 0 2 2 3 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital 14 1 8 4 10 
			 Tyrone County 3 2 3 0 4 
			 Armagh Community 4 1 3 1 0 
			 Erne 17 3 6 5 1 
			 Causeway 0 1 1 3 2 
			 Northern Ireland total 136 38 45 55 86 
			  Source: Annual Departmental Return, FWK1.

High Visibility Vests

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to introduce legislation to implement the EU legislative requirement that motorists carry a high visibility vest in motor vehicles.

David Cairns: The Department of the Environment has no plans to introduce a requirement that motorists carry a high visibility vest in motor vehicles and there is no EU directive requiring such legislation.

Higher Education

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students graduated with a Post Graduate Certificate of Education from higher education establishments in Northern Ireland in 2005-06.

Maria Eagle: The latest data held by the Department refer to the 2004-05 academic year. In 2004-05, 448 students gained PGCE qualifications at the NI Higher Education Institutions. Data for the 2005-06 academic year will be available from the end of January 2007.

Higher Education

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many physiotherapy graduates there were from higher education establishments in Northern Ireland in 2005-06.

Maria Eagle: The latest data held by the Department refer to the 2004-05 academic year. In 2004-05, 78 students gained physiotherapy qualifications at the NI Higher Education Institutions. Data for the 2005-06 academic year will be available from the end of January 2007.

Ministerial Hospitality

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on entertainment and hospitality by each Northern Ireland Minister in each year since 1998.

Peter Hain: I am unable to provide the information the hon. Lady has requested. To do so would incur disproportionate costs as we cannot easily identify expenditure on entertainment or hospitality for the individuals referred to.

NHS Staff (Assaults)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been convicted in each of the past three years for offences involving  (a) violent and  (b) abusive behaviour towards NHS staff; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not available, as upon conviction, neither the specific HPSS location of where a crime was committed, nor the occupation of the victim, is recorded by the PSNl or the Northern Ireland Court Service.
	The Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) is fully committed to strengthening the protection of all health and personal social services (HPSS) staff. A number of measures have already been put in place to minimise the risk to staff, including panic buttons, toughened glass, CCTV and personal alarm systems for lone workers. A working group on Zero Tolerance comprising HPSS employers, staff side organisations and departmental officials is currently reviewing all procedures within the HPSS in order to ensure the safety of employees while at work. It recently convened a seminar to raise awareness and establish best practice. The group's purpose is to eradicate violence from the HPSS work place.

NHS Staff (Assaults)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to give nurses and doctors in Northern Ireland the right to refuse to treat a violent patient.

Paul Goggins: The Zero Tolerance working group, which comprises HPSS employers, staff side organisations and departmental officials, has considered a document produced by the NHS in England entitled 'Withholding treatment from violent and abusive patients in NHS Trusts'. The group concluded that withholding treatment was an emotive issue, which could be considered unethical in a mental health environment. The BMA in Northern Ireland has expressed its reluctance in adopting such a policy as it felt it would have human rights implications.
	There have been cases where HSS Trusts have sought and obtained court injunctions designed to prevent patients with a history of violent and abusive behaviour having access to HPSS premises.

NHS Staff (Assaults)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents involving  (a) violence and  (b) verbal abuse of NHS staff in Northern Ireland took place in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The detailed recording of incidents broken down between verbal and physical attacks has only formally been collated by the Department since 1 April 2004 and figures are contained in the table.
	The table also contains the total number of attacks for the preceding year April 2003 to March 2004.
	
		
			  1 April to 31 March each year:  Verbal  Physical  Total 
			 2005-06 1,792 3,590 5,382 
			 2004-05 1,624 3,825 5,449 
			 2003-04 (1) (1) 4,522 
			 (1) Breakdown not available.

NHS Trusts

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to appoint at least one qualified  (a) nurse and  (b) doctor to the board of each of the new NHS Trusts in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: Membership of the Boards of Health and Social Services Trusts is set out in the Health and Social Services Trusts (Membership and Procedure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991. These regulations require that boards' executive directors shall include
	a medical or dental practitioner and a registered nurse or registered midwife.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans Northern Ireland Railways has to use the locomotive hauled refurbished Gatwick carriages to provide an enhanced inter-city service between Belfast and Londonderry.

David Cairns: Northern Ireland Railways has no plans to use the locomotive hauled refurbished Gatwick carriages to provide an enhanced inter-city service between Belfast and Londonderry.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the age is of the non-C3k Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) stock which is in regular use on NIR services.

David Cairns: Translink state that the age of the non-C3k NIR rolling stock which is in use on NIR services is:
	Nine Class 450 unitsbetween 19 and 21-years-old.
	Six MKII coaches (Gatwick)33-years-old.
	Three Class 80 trainsbetween 28 and 32-years-old.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the planned budget is for  (a) Northern Ireland Railways,  (b) Ulsterbus,  (c) Metro Services,  (d) Road Infrastructure (capital) and  (e) Road Infrastructure (maintenance) for 2007-08.

David Cairns: The planned indicative budget for Northern Ireland Railways, Translink bus services, Road Infrastructure (capital) and Road Infrastructure (maintenance) for 2007-08 is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Planned indicative budget ( million) 
			 Northern Ireland Railways 64.0 
			 Translink Bus Services 52.7 
			 Road Infrastructure (capital) 99.4 
			 Road Infrastructure (maintenance) 84.2 
		
	
	The allocation of the bus services budget between Ulsterbus and Metro will not be determined until adoption of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company's Corporate Plan in March 2007.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions Northern Ireland Railways has had with the relevant port authorities on the provision of rail access for freight to the ports at  (a) Belfast,  (b) Larne and  (c) Lishally, Londonderry.

David Cairns: NIR has had no discussions with the relevant port authorities on the provision of rail access for freight to ports at Belfast, Larne and Lishally, Londonderry.
	Rail freight is uncompetitive for short journeys and for this reason rail freight operations ceased in Northern Ireland in 2004. No case has been made to revive it.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what tonnage of freight was carried on Northern Ireland Railways in 2005.

David Cairns: No freight was carried on Northern Ireland Railways in 2005.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many weekday services on the Belfast to Larne rail route in the last  (a) three and  (b) six months have been provided by the new C3k trains.

David Cairns: Translink state that on the Belfast to Larne railway line new C3k trains operated 26 services in the last three months and 59 services in the last six months.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average journey time is for trains travelling between Belfast and Londonderry; and what it was  (a) five and  (b) 10 years ago.

David Cairns: Translink state that the current average journey time for trains between Belfast and Londonderry is 126 minutes. In 2001 it was 121 minutes, and in 1996 it was 153 minutes.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new railway routes are planned to be opened in Northern Ireland in the next 10 years.

David Cairns: There are no plans to open any new railway routes in Northern Ireland in the next 10 years.

Northern Ireland Railways

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much will be allocated in 2007-08 for spending on the Northern Ireland rail network.

David Cairns: The indicative budget allocation of direct support for the Northern Ireland rail network in the financial year 2007-08 is 64 million.

Racial Equality Strategy

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the 7.5 million per annum spent on the Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland relates to  (a) on-going work and  (b) new initiatives each year; and whether further resources have been allocated to the strategy by other Government departments for (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.

David Hanson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my previous answer on 5 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1184W, when I confirmed that Northern Ireland Departments, Northern Ireland Office and the Police Service for Northern Ireland are planning to spend at least 7.5million per annum, the majority of which relates to on-going work in support of the Racial Equality Strategy Implementation Action Plan for Northern Ireland in each of the years 2006-07 and 2007-08. A further 210,000 has been allocated for English as an Additional Language.
	Departments are considering new initiatives and resource requirements for inclusion in the 2(nd) Annual Implementation Action Plan covering 2007-08.

Road Freight

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many road freight journeys are expected to be made in Northern Ireland in each of the next 10 years; and how many such journeys are estimated to have been made in each of the last three years.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Roads Service Dr. Malcolm McKibbin has written to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	 Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 16 October 2006:
	We have consulted with officials in other Departments and elsewhere within the Department for Regional Development, but unfortunately the information that you requested is not held. Roads Service does however carry out a vehicle kilometres of travel (VKT) survey each year to estimate the total distance travelled by vehicles on Northern Ireland's road network. This provides a measure of the usage of the various roads and facilitates a direct comparison with the rest of the United Kingdom and other European Countries.
	The following table lists the estimated total distance travelled by each of the five different categories of vehicle during the past three years.
	
		
			  Million 
			  VKT  2003  2004  2005 
			 Class 1 - Cars and Vans 15,970 16,751 16,916 
			 Class 2 - Medium Commercial 1,061 1,002 992 
			 Class 3 - Heavy Commercial 734 655 665 
			 Class 4 - Articulated Commercial 423 385 392 
			 Class 5 - Bus and Coach 60 60 58 
			 Total 18,248 18,853 19,023 
		
	
	With regard to estimating future road freight journeys no formal forecast exists. However within Roads Service we use transport models to develop traffic forecasts to enable us to assess the viability of proposed road schemes.
	From the information we have available I can advise that our forecasts for the growth of all road traffic journeys indicates that the growth rate will fall to under 2 per cent. per annum by 2012.

Sustainable Development

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what funding has been allocated for the implementation of the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy for Northern Ireland;
	(2)  what progress has been made on the implementation of the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy for Northern Ireland;
	(3)  what the timetable is for the publication of the implementation plans produced for the six priority areas of the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy for Northern Ireland;
	(4)  what measures have been put in place to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy for Northern Ireland;
	(5)  on what basis the timescales were set for the achievement of strategic objectives in the Sustainable Development Strategy for Northern Ireland; and if he will revise the timescale for the strategic objective to promote the development of community engagement, civic leadership and responsible citizenship from summer 2009 to summer 2008.

David Hanson: All the actions which will be included in the Implementation Plan, due to be published next month will have funding available to them. Work on the Plan will also identify areas where further funding needs to be identified and this will be addressed in the forthcoming CSR and Priorities and Budget process.
	The Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy is being taken forward through the development of an Implementation Plan which is scheduled to be published in November 2006. The Plan will set out in detail the actions which departments will take to address the longer term strategic objectives and targets contained in the Strategy.
	The Implementation Plan will address all six priority areas of the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy.
	The Implementation Plan will contain details of the monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements. Progress on monitoring the targets in the Strategy will be reported on in future Implementation Plans. We will also be developing a set of over-arching Sustainable development indicators for Northern Ireland in 2007.
	The targets which were set for the Sustainable Development Strategy were intended to provide a challenging framework for the development of relevant actions. They were developed in consultation with stakeholders. The experience of developing the Implementation Plan has identified issues around some of the targets which we will wish to review in due course and in the light of experience. I will consider whether there is scope to modify the target you identity as part of that process.

Sustainable Development

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures his Department has implemented to ensure that all public expenditure through the public procurement process reflects the Government's commitment to the sustainability agenda.

David Hanson: Northern Ireland Procurement Policy applies to all Government Departments, their Agencies, non-departmental public bodies and public corporations. The policy allows for the inclusion, as appropriate, of sustainable development goals within the procurement process.
	Central Procurement Directorate, Department of Finance and Personnel, with the approval of the Procurement Board, has issued guidance on actions that can be taken, under national and European procurement rules and procurement policy, in order to encourage and support the integration and achievement of these goals and is working with suppliers to promote the availability of sustainable products and services.

Sustainable Development

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Planning and Building Regulations in Northern Ireland will be amended to include sustainability targets for all new buildings.

David Hanson: Sustainable development is a key theme underlying the Government's overall approach to planning in Northern Ireland. This is already recognised in Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 1 'General Principles' and the Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland, 'Shaping Our Future'.
	The key role played by the planning system in the delivery of sustainable development is underpinned by the Planning Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. The order 2006 introduced a requirement for development plans and planning policies prepared by DOE to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.
	In addition, there is a range of other planning policies, set out in Planning Policy Statements that also contribute to the delivery of sustainable development. However, the Planning Service has no plans, at present, to amend legislation to introduce sustainability targets for new buildings. An amendment to part F of the Building Regulations (Conservation of Fuel and Power) will come into effect on 30 November. It will raise energy performance standards, and should reduce carbon emissions by up to 40 per cent., for all new build and major refurbishments.
	Sustainability is not one of the matters for which building regulations may be made at present. However the principles contained in the Building Regulations (NI) Order 1979 will be amended during 2007 to allow the Department of Finance and Personnel to regulate the promotion of sustainable development. The list of matters on which the Department may regulate will be extended to include the sustainable use and management of water, the re-use and recycling of materials, the use of renewable energy sources, the durability of materials and materials life-cycles and pollution (emissions).

Teachers

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students in Northern Ireland qualified as teachers in each of the last five years; and how many of those who qualified found jobs within one year of qualifying in each year.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Students gaining qualifications from initial teacher training courses and number recording employment as destination activity six months after graduation 2000-01 to 2004-05 
			  Academic year  Initial teacher training qualifiers  In employment (6 months after graduation) 
			 2000-01 700 574 
			 2001-02 716 620 
			 2002-03 772 616 
			 2003-04 779 632 
			 2004-05 804 648 
			  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency 
		
	
	The Department only holds information on the destinations of students six months after graduation. In 2000-01 and 2001-02 the figures only include those recording their main activity as employment. From 2002-03, students were no longer asked to identify their main activity and all those recording employment have been included.
	The latest available data relate to the 2004-05 academic year.

Vandalism

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of vandalism on schools in Northern Ireland were reported in each of the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: The number of recorded incidents of vandalism in schools in the last three years for which information is available is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003-04 1,396 
			 2004-05 1,542 
			 2005-06 1,722 
		
	
	Full information is only available since 2003, when records held by the Education and Library Boards were computerised.

HEALTH

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Vaccination

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what direct cost savings have been achieved through the ending of the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination programme in schools.

Caroline Flint: Funding for immunisation services, including the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination programme, form part of the annual allocation to primary care trusts. PCTs are responsible for the management of those monies and the running of immunisation programmes. As a result of the changes to the BCG vaccination programme, PCTs will redirect monies to reflect how the BCG programme will be implemented within their PCT.

Birmingham Women's Hospital

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the procedures are at Birmingham women's hospital for informing staff members of the allegations made against them when they are suspended from work on disciplinary grounds.

Rosie Winterton: Procedures for informing national health service staff members of allegations made against them when they are suspended from work is a matter for individual NHS trusts. I am advised that at Birmingham Women's Health Care NHS Trust, suspension of a member of staff in itself is not a disciplinary action and does not assume guilt of the individual involved. It is a neutral act that enables the trust to fully investigate allegations of a serious nature.
	I also understand that at the time of suspension the employee will be informed in private of a brief outline of the reasons for the action. This will be confirmed in writing to the employee and all matters after this time will be communicated by the investigation team.

Bowel Cancer

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government will fully fund the provision of Erbitox and Avastan to sufferers of bowel cancer; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Provision is made in the allocation of funding to the health service for new and innovative drugs. It is a matter for local commissioners how best to deploy those resources.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is developing guidance to the national health service on the use of bevacizumab (Avastin) and cetuximab (Erbitux) for the treatment of advanced bowel cancer. It has not yet issued final guidance.

Cancer Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation has been undertaken with  (a) the public,  (b) patients and  (c) clinicians by the Kingston Hospital NHS Trust concerning its proposal to switch secondary and tertiary cancer services from the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust to The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Rosie Winterton: This is a matter for the local national health services.
	However, officials inform me that Kingston Hospital NHS Trust has not formally consulted on its proposal to switch secondary and tertiary cancer services from the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust to the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
	Representatives from partner organisations involved in the transfer of services have met with Kingston Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel (OSC) to assess whether the proposal merits formal public consultation. The outcome from this meeting was that all the proposals were positive and that formal consultation was not required.
	However, the OSC recommended that the trust offers an open public meeting to enable any interested parties to learn about the proposed change. This will be held on 9 October 2006 at Kingston hospital.

Cancer Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact on patient care of proposals of the Kingston Hospital NHS Trust to switch secondary and tertiary cancers services from the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust to the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Rosie Winterton: This is a matter for the local national health service.
	It is our policy that the local NHS decide the priorities for the NHS locally, including decisions on the location of services. This is where the specific local knowledge and expertise lies and it is not appropriate for the Department to intervene.

Cancer Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department made of patient numbers and activity for the purposes of  (a) approving and  (b) funding the purchase and installation of four new linear accelerators at the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust.

Rosie Winterton: One aim of the Cancer Equipment Programme was to replace ageing equipment used in cancer services on the grounds that newer equipment is more accurate and reliable. The four linear accelerators at Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust have been provided to replace the four machines that were beyond the recommended age limit of 11 years.
	The potential withdrawal of cancer patients from Hammersmith to Kingston and the Royal Marsden will mean a reduction equivalent to a 20 per cent. drop in patient numbers.
	The commitment in the NHS Cancer Plan is to provide a target of four linear accelerators per million by 2006. Current radiotherapy centre provision varies between 3.3 to 7.9 per million head of population. The Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust radiotherapy centres currently has six per million head.

Defibrillators

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds have been made available to NHS practices to purchase automated external defibrillators since the production of the most recent Resuscitation Council guidelines.

Rosie Winterton: No central funds have been made available to national health service practices to purchase automated external defibrillators since the production of the most recent Resuscitation Council guidelines.

Diabetes

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of undiagnosed cases of diabetes; and if she will publish this figure annually.

Rosie Winterton: In 2006, 2.52 million people are estimated to have diabetes. The latest quality and outcomes framework (QOF) results for 2005-06 show that 75 per cent. of this estimated total (1.89 million people) have their diabetes diagnosed therefore there are an estimated 630,000 people who remain undiagnosed. QOF data is published annually.

Diabetes

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will give advice to primary care trusts on the number of glucose sticks diabetic patients should be prescribed in order to maintain proper control over their blood sugar levels; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will undertake research into the optimum number of times diabetes sufferers of various levels should test their blood; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There are no national clinical guidelines on the number of times a person should test their blood glucose using blood glucose testing strips.
	As with any medicine or appliance the responsibility for deciding what treatment is best for the patient rests with the clinician concerned, in consultation with the patient, informed by the patient's clinical history.
	Individual need, choice and circumstances dictates the most appropriate form and frequency of testing as, given the clinical nature of diabetes, there are times when it is appropriate for people to test more frequently than is usual for them.
	There are two key trials evaluating the efficacy of blood glucose monitoring in the management of diabetes. The Oxford trial, sponsored through the NHS Health Technology Assessment process, is due to report in 2007 and the DESMOND (Diabetes Education and Self-Management for Newly Diagnosed) trial, sponsored by Diabetes UK, is due to report in the winter of 2009.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is also currently reviewing its guidelines for Type 2 DiabetesManagement of blood glucosewhich will be published early next year.

DVT Guidance

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will assess the need for guidance on the management of deep vein thrombosis.

Caroline Flint: The Government response to the Health Select Committee's report on the prevention of venous thromboembolism in hospitalised patients was presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Health in July 2005. The response included a reference to a letter that the Chief Medical Officer had written to all doctors on this topic, and a commitment to set up an independent expert working group which would make its recommendations by summer 2006. The report and recommendations were submitted to the Chief Medical Officer on 17 July. The Chief Medical Officer is now considering its findings.
	Advice on travel-related deep vein thrombosis is available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/vte/dvt.

External Consultants

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process was used to appoint external consultants to assess potential savings in the Kent, Surrey and Sussex health economy.

Caroline Flint: This is a matter for the NHS South East Coast.

Hampton Review

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what input  (a) her Department and  (b) its (i) agencies and (ii) non-departmental public bodies had into the Hampton review and its report, Reducing Administrative Burdens: Effective Inspection and Enforcement.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 280W.

Health Care (Gloucestershire)

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library the financial working papers which support the proposals for savings contained on page 22 of the consultation document The Future of Healthcare in Gloucestershire: Proposals for Developing Sustainable NHS Services, published by primary care trusts in Gloucestershire.

Andy Burnham: The reconfiguration of local services is a matter for local health economies, therefore the requested financial working papers were prepared by the three Gloucestershire primary care trusts, which merged to become Gloucestershire PCT from 1 October. However, the strategic health authority, NHS South West, with the consent of the PCT has provided the papers, which have now been placed in the Library.

Homeopathy

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to prevent homeopathists providing homeopathic treatments for malaria prevention in place of conventional anti-malaria prophylactics; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: In July 2005, the Health Protection Agency's Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention in UK Travellers (ACMP) recommended against the use of homeopathic remedies for the prevention of malaria, stating that
	there is no scientific proof that homeopathic remedies are effective for the prevention of malaria.
	The committee advised that anyone travelling to any country where malaria may be caught should visit their general practitioner or travel centre and should follow their advice on which medicines to take, the dose to take, and how long to take the medicines before travelling and after returning home.
	The Faculty of Homeopaths supports Government guidance on malaria prevention and worked with the ACMP on its warning against the use of homeopathic remedies for this purpose.

Independent Review Panel

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she last met the Chair of the Independent Review Panel; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Secretary of State last met with the chair and chief executive of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel on 3 October 2006 to discuss the referral to the panel for advice of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee referrals relating to maternity and paediatric services in North Tees and Hartlepool.

Influenza Pandemic

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2006,  Official Report, column 664W, on influenza pandemic, what plans she has for the central procurement of a stockpile of face masks for use in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: As stated on 20 July, we have recommended the use of face masks for health care professionals who would be working closely with infected patients. We are currently considering whether we should centrally procure and stockpile face masks and a decision will be reached as soon as possible.

Information (Integration)

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in encouraging pilot projects between local authorities and primary care trusts to develop an integrated approach to information as set out in the Our Health Our Care Our Say White Paper; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is currently developing options for pilot projects between primary care trusts and local authorities and has identified a number of potential partners for these pilots. We are aware of a number of existing models of good practice in integrated information provision which we will evaluate. The development of the pilots will also be informed by the findings of the review of the provision of health and social care information, which is also a White Paper commitment.

Looked After Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements she  (a) has made and  (b) plans to make to healthcare for looked after children.

Ivan Lewis: The Government published the green paper Care matters: transforming the lives of children in care on 9 October. This document sets out a range of proposals for improving the health of this group of children, including setting out a comprehensive model for good practice in local areas in providing health services for children in care.
	Consultation on the green paper will continue until 15 January 2007. After that the existing guidance, Promoting the health of looked after children, published in 2003, will be replaced.

McKinsey and Company

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which individuals and organisations have been consulted as part of the review by McKinsey and Company of the health economy of Kent, Surrey and Sussex on behalf of the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority;
	(2)  what projects McKinsey and Company management consultants have undertaken for the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority and successor bodies in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07.

Caroline Flint: These are matters for the National Health Service South East Coast.

Medical Records

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average time taken for the medical records of patients who are discharged from hospital to care facilities to reach the general practitioners linked with the care homes was in the last period for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: This information is not collected centrally. It is the responsibility of the practitioners concerned to ensure that the appropriate information is transferred in a timely and appropriate fashion on discharge from hospital. In general, medical records are not transferred but as the national health service care records service is rolled out nationally, all practitioners will have access to a shared summary record (subject to confidentiality and privacy safeguards).

MRSA

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have contracted MRSA in NHS hospitals in London in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: Since April 2001, trusts in England have reported all cases of meticillin resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemias (bloodstream infections), to the Health Protection Agency. Data covering the period April 2001 to March 2006 were published on 24 July 2006(1). The data for those trusts in London are summarised in the table.
	(1 )Data are subject to change.
	
		
			  MRSA bacteraemias; London (that is within London Strategic Health Authority: April 2001 to March 2006) 
			  April to March each year:  Number of bacteraemias 
			 2001-02 1,616 
			 2002-03 1,707 
			 2003-04 1,682 
			 2004-05 1,392 
			 2005-06 1,320 
			  Source: Health Protection Agency

MRSA

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been treated for MRSA infection in  (a) England and  (b) each region in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not collected centrally. The most reliable data on methicillin resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in England are for MRSA bloodstream infections from April 2001 through the mandatory surveillance scheme. Regional data for each six month period from April 2001 to March 2006 were published on 24 July 2006, and these are available on the Health Protection Agency's website at:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/mandatory_ report_2006.htm

MRSA

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1060W, on MRSA, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the differences in the rates of increase in MRSA-related deaths in each region; and what steps have been taken to reduce MRSA-related deaths in those regions where it is relatively high.

Andy Burnham: The numbers of deaths provided in the answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1060W, are too small to ascertain whether or not there are differences between regions in the rate of change over time.
	However, combating methicillin resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other healthcare associated infections is a priority for Government throughout the country. A target, to halve the number of MRSA bloodstream infections by April 2008 is in place and each trust has its own target. This target is supported by a wide ranging programme and includes the Saving Lives package of best practice measures all acute trusts have signed up to. In addition, the Department continues to engage those trusts facing the most significant challenges and it will seek to work with trusts most likely to benefit from support tailored to their organisational needs.
	The recent publication of the Health Act 2006Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Health Care Associated Infections, will also help drive up standards of hygiene and infection control. The Healthcare Commission will assess compliance with the code as part of its 'annual Healthcheck' process from 2007-08 and has a new power to issue an 'improvement notice' to a national health service body that in its view is not properly observing the code.

Neuro-rehabilitation

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the neuro-rehabilitation centres in the NHS, broken down by strategic health authority.

Rosie Winterton: Information on centres providing neuro-rehabilitation is not collected centrally.

Teenage Smoking

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has spent on campaigns to warn teenagers of the risks of smoking in 2005-06; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: In 2005-06, the Department spent 4.32 million on a campaign targeting young adult smokers (including 16 to 18-year-olds) emphasising the negative effects smoking has on them now; that is for young womentheir looks, for young menthe risk of impotence.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Agency Staff

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what average hourly rate her Department paid to employment agencies for agency staff in each year since 1999, broken down by agency.

Phil Woolas: The Department was created on 5 May 2006, so information is only available from that time.
	The Department uses agencies to supply temporary staff to cover short-term needs, and has a framework agreement with three employment agencies.
	The average hourly rate paid to each of them was 14.432, 13.843 and 13.05 respectively.

Church Fires

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have died as a result of fires in  (a) churches and  (b) church halls in the last five years.

Angela Smith: The available information is for fatalities in fires attended by fire and rescue services in England, and covers the years 2000 to 2004.
	
		
			  Location  Total fatalities 
			 Buildings of worship 1 
			 Church halls 0 
			  Source: Fire and rescue service returns to DCLG (FDR1 return)

Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Warley of 28 July on behalf of Miss Lole, Smethwick.

Meg Munn: A reply was sent to my right hon. Friend on 13 October.

Correspondence

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will provide a substantive reply to Question 90813, tabled by the hon. Member for North-East Bedfordshire on 4 September 2006 for named day answer on 11 September 2006.

Yvette Cooper: I replied to the hon. Member's question on 3 October, printed on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 368-69W.

Departmental Child Care Facilities

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether there are waiting lists for places at child care facilities which her Department provides for its employees.

Phil Woolas: At the Department for Communities and Local Government where child care facilities are provided there are currently waiting lists for staff with children at the onsite facility at the Fire Service College, and the offsite facility at the Planning Inspectorate.

Departmental Staff

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many disabled people were hired by her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what percentage of the overall work force these figures represented in each year; and how many disabled people left their employment in her Department over the same period.

Angela Smith: The available figures for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), relate to the figures from the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister who provided the majority of staff now working in DCLG. The figures are available for 2003, 2004, and 2005 only. They are based solely on voluntary declaration of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act and not connected in any way to a formal register of disability. The figures are as follows:
	2005Fewer than five staff entrants recorded themselves as disabled. 10 members of staff who recorded themselves as disabled left the Department.
	2004Fewer than five staff entrants recorded themselves as disabled. 10 members of staff who recorded themselves as disabled left the Department.
	2003Fewer than five staff entrants recorded themselves as disabled. Less than five members of staff who recorded themselves as disabled left the Department.
	The percentage of the overall work force these figures represent is minimal.
	Further information can be found at the following Cabinet Office link:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/reports/index.asp

Disability Equality Scheme

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  when she plans to publish the disability equality scheme for her Department; in what formats; and how it will be publicised;
	(2)  what consultation methods will be used to involve  (a) people with disabilities and  (b) representative organisations in the development of her Department's disability equality scheme;
	(3)  whether she has made an assessment of which policy areas will be considered in her report on progress towards disability equality within her Department's policy sector due for publication in December 2008;
	(4)  what information-gathering and other actions  (a) her Department and  (b) other relevant bodies are taking to inform the production of the report on progress towards disability equality within her Department's policy sector.

Meg Munn: My Department plans to publish its Disability Equality Scheme on or before 4 December 2006. The Scheme will be available online, and will be available on request in accessible formats, including in print.
	In consulting with disabled people and their representative organisations, the department approached contacts provided by the Disability Rights Commission. These contacts were invited to discuss disability issues relating to DCLG policy areas, propose solutions and recommend priorities for the Disability Equality Scheme. Those unable to attend were interviewed by phone. Meetings were held on housing and inclusive design, and two meetings were also co-ordinated by RADAR, an umbrella body covering a number of disabled people's organisations.
	DCLG's Disabled Staff Network were also invited to discuss their priorities for the Disability Equality Scheme. In addition information from a major consultation exercise with disabled staff in 2005 was used to help develop actions on employment in the Scheme.
	To date my Department has not decided which policy areas will be included in the Secretary of State's 2008 report on progress towards disability equality within the Department's policy sector. However it is likely that the major policy areas will be included.
	My Department and other relevant bodies will carry out a number of information-gathering and other actions to help inform the 2008 Secretary of State's report. These will be set out in the action plan of the Department's Disability Equality Scheme.

Emergency Service Sirens

Andrew Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidelines are in place on the use of emergency service sirens.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	The fitting and use of sirens is controlled by the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. Under regulation 37 (5) the fitting of sirens is restricted to vehicles used by specific emergency and law enforcement agencies; including the police, fire brigades and ambulance service.
	Regulation 99 (5) provides that such sirens may only be used either to indicate to other road users the urgency of the purposes for which the vehicle is being used, or to warn them of the presence of the vehicle on the road. Training and guidance on when it is appropriate to use sirens for these purposes is a matter for the individual agencies. We have not issued any guidance to the police as this is an operational matter for individual chief officers.

Extended Mandatory Rate Relief

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much extended mandatory rate relief was given to  (a) village pubs,  (b) petrol stations,  (c) food shops and  (d) non-agricultural farm enterprises in each of the last 20 years.

Phil Woolas: The amount of mandatory rate relief given, in  million, to  (a) rural premises (including rural general stores, post offices, public houses, petrol filling stations and food shops) and  (b) former agricultural premises since the introduction of such reliefs is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Rural shops and post offices  Former agricultural premises 
			 1998-99 2.0 n/a 
			 1999-2000 2.1 n/a 
			 2000-01 2.2 n/a 
			 2001-02 5.3 0.0 
			 2002-03 6.1 0.3 
			 2003-04 6.1 0.7 
			 2004-05 6.3 1.2 
			 2005-06 5.7 1.4 
			 2006-07 5.9 0.9 
		
	
	Data for 1998-99 to 2005-06 are outturn figures taken from NNDR3 returns while the data for 2006-07 are estimated figures taken from NNDR1 returns. These returns are supplied to the Department for Communities and Local Government by billing authorities in England. The data show the total mandatory relief given, irrespective of the year to which they apply.

Extremism

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which of the proposals from the Preventing Extremism Together working group  (a) have been completed and  (b) are in progress.

Meg Munn: On 17 July 2006, the Department published on its website details of progress made on the recommendations from the Preventing Extremism Together working groups. Further details can be found at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=l501973.

Green Goddesses

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many Green Goddess emergency fire appliances are available for use in emergencies; and how many were available in  (a) 1997,  (b) 2001 and  (c) 2005.

Angela Smith: There are no Green Goddesses available for use in emergencies. Green Goddesses, built in 1953-56, lack the range of advanced fire fighting equipment carried by modern appliances; their acceleration and handling is worse than modern appliances and Green Goddesses only possess low-pressure pumps, whereas modern high-pressure pumps are capable of shooting out a dense spray. The Green Goddess fleet is outdated and we are now able to use modern fire appliances as part of our contingency planning arrangements. The Fire and Rescue National Framework 2006-2008 makes clear that fire and rescue authorities will be responsible for supplying all appliances and equipment in the event of any industrial action.
	The size of the fleet in previous years was:  (a) 1,085 in 1997;  (b) 1,040 in 2001;  (c) 975 in 2005. These figures include Green Goddesses held by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Scotland and 'Yellow' Goddesses for Northern Ireland.

Home Information Packs

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the Government's estimated gross VAT revenue from home information packs is for the first full year of operation.

Yvette Cooper: We envisage that the introduction of HIPs will be VAT neutral.

Home Information Packs

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consultancy work  (a) PA Consulting Group and  (b) Xansa UK Ltd. carried out for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in relation to home information packs; and if she will place in the Library copies of the reports they produced.

Yvette Cooper: PA Consulting Group and Xansa UK Ltd. have been used across a wide range of activities associated with the delivery of home information packs, primarily on the design of the home condition report, and the procurement of the certification scheme and the dry run. Their input has not taken the form of reports.

Home Information Packs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of people who embarked on Home Improvement Pack inspector training courses; and at what total cost  (a) to the public purse and  (b) to the trainees.

Yvette Cooper: The most recent reasonably complete figures are for the end of July when it was estimated that there were 4,637 Home Inspectors in training and 328 who had completed their training. Since then at least a further 142 have completed training.
	The amount of training required, and therefore the cost, depends on previous experience. For an experienced surveyor with relevant experience, the cost is estimated to be around 2,300 to 2,600. For a candidate with no relevant experience, training would take longer and is estimated to cost around 8,300 to 10,000.
	No public funding has been provided. Trainees are responsible for their own fees.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of how long an inspection for an energy performance certificate will take for an average house.

Yvette Cooper: Trials are planned to take place during November 2006 to assess the indicative time and costs of producing energy performance certificates. However preliminary estimates suggest that these might take up to an hour on site for an average house.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the maximum expected period of validity is for an energy performance certificate.

Yvette Cooper: The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive stipulates that the validity of the certificate shall not exceed 10 years. To ensure that homebuyers have up to date information, the Home Information Pack Regulations require that an energy performance certificate included in a Home Information Pack is no older than three months when the property is marketed for sale. This issue will be looked at further in the dry run.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost of an energy performance certificate is expected to be including VAT; and whether the cost is expected to vary according to the size of the property.

Yvette Cooper: The price of an energy performance certificate will be set by the market and not by Government. We expect these costs to vary according to the size, type and location of the property. Trials are planned to take place during November 2006 to assess the indicative time and costs of producing energy performance certificates.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to introduce secondary legislation to amend the Home Information Pack Regulations 2006; and whether she plans to consult on that legislation beforehand.

Yvette Cooper: The amended home information pack regulations will be made in early 2007. These will reflect the decision to make the home condition report an authorised component of the home information pack and the findings of the dry run. There will be consultations with key stakeholders throughout the period of the dry run.

Home Information Packs

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Government intend to compensate those people who incurred costs training as home inspectors.

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration has been given to providing compensation to individuals who have trained to become home inspectors in relation to the delivery of home information packs.

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department is taking to compensate those who trained to become home inspectors; and if she will make a statement.

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people studying for the home inspector qualification will receive compensation as a consequence of recently announced changes to the scope of the Home Sellers Pack.

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to introduce compensation for those people who have incurred costs on training as home inspectors.

Yvette Cooper: The Government's policy is that mandatory home condition reports (HCRs) remain on the table if the industry fails to make a success of the roll-out of HCRs. We will promote the voluntary take-up of HCRs, and have allocated 4 million to support their take-up and testing of home information packs. Therefore home inspectors will still be needed and job opportunities for home inspectors remain for those who have undertaken training. Moreover, the introduction of energy performance certificates for the private rented properties will further enhance these opportunities.

Home Information Packs

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of home inspectors that will be required in the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: We estimate that from 1 June next year between 2,500 and 4,500 properly trained inspectors will be needed to produce Energy Performance Certificates required for packs and voluntary Home Condition Reports.

Home Information Packs

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have trained to become home inspectors in the last 12 months in  (a) England and  (b) Beverley and Holderness; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The number of candidates who have completed training, as provided at 25 August by six of the 11 assessment centres, is 470. Information on the number of Home Inspectors broken down by constituency is not collected. However, the number of candidates who have completed training in Yorkshire and Humber is 36 as at 25 August.

Home Information Packs

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what basis the decision was made that Huddersfield should trial home information packs; what sanctions will be taken against those who fail to use or provide either a home information pack or a home condition report there; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The towns and cities chosen for the area trials were selected on the basis that they were considered to be discrete areas with a strong housing market, contain a representative mix of housing types, and that they have a strong local media and forward thinking local business community. The area trials will be entirely voluntary and there will be no sanctions for those who do not wish to participate.

Home Information Packs

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will provide an opportunity for hon. Members to assess the effectiveness of the home information pack trial in Huddersfield before home information packs become compulsory in England and Wales; what opportunities will be provided for representations to be made between the conclusion of the trial period and the commencement of the packs becoming mandatory; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The results of the trials will be made public and interested parties given an opportunity to comment before the packs become mandatory on 1 June 2007. The trialling of Home Condition Reports will need to go on beyond 1 June 2007 in order to fully assess their impact which is one of the reasons for the change in approach announced in July.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of qualified RdSAP energy inspectors;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of qualified RdSAP energy inspectors required to ensure the implementation of EU Directive 2002/91/EC.

Yvette Cooper: The Department has estimated that between 2,500 and 4,500 trained inspectors will be needed to produce Energy Performance Certificates for the marketed sales of residential properties when Home Information Packs become mandatory in June 2007.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to change the trigger for the requirement of an energy performance certificate to the point-of-sale rather than first point of marketing.

Yvette Cooper: We believe it is important that prospective purchasers should have information about the energy performance of homes they are considering buying before they submit offers. In order to raise consumer awareness and choice and environmental standards the information needs to be available at the beginning of the process rather then once prospective buyers have already invested resources and made commitment to the sale.

Home Insulation

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department has to extend regulations on insulation in new build homes to older properties; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Building Regulations were amended earlier this year to raise energy efficiency standards for new buildings and for building work carried out to existing buildings. This amendment introduced a new requirement to improve the thermal performance of floors, walls or roofs whenever they are renovated or replaced.
	A review to consider possible measures to increase the sustainability of existing buildings is also under way and will conclude later this year.

Housing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent research she has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the (i) interpretation and (ii) application of guidance on access needs for disabled tenants in (A) housing association and (B) local authority property; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: No specific research has been commissioned on these issues. The access requirements for all newly built dwellings are set down in part M of the Building Regulations which were introduced in 1999. We are now going further by proposing that the lifetime homes standard is included in the Code for Sustainable Homes.
	For existing homes all disabled owner-occupiers and tenants have a statutory right, under the disabled facilities grant legislation, to seek financial assistance from their local authority to help with housing adaptations.

Local Government

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authority workers in each local authority area in Durham  (a) retired and  (b) took ill-health retirement in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The number of local authority workers who were members of the local authority pension scheme administered by Durham county council who  (a) retired and  (b) took ill health retirement in each of the last five years for which data are available, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Normal retirement  Ill-health retirement 
			 2000-01 90 139 
			 2001-02 49 115 
			 2002-03 119 77 
			 2003-04 87 96 
			 2004-05 140 55 
		
	
	These data are taken from the SF3 Local Government Pensions Schemes form completed each year by administrators of local authority pension schemes and returned to the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	Durham county council administers a single pension scheme for staff of the county council and the seven local authorities within the county of Durham, the administration staff of the police and fire service and staff of a further 43 bodies in the scheme including parish councils, town councils, statutory bodies, colleges and admitted bodies.

Local Government

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the annual saving would be from increasing the employee contribution rate of the local government pension scheme by one per cent.; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: It is estimated that a 1 per cent. increase in employee contributions would now generate an additional 270 million towards the total annual contribution income of the Local Government Pension Scheme, which totalled some 4.9 billion in 2004-05, made up of employers' contributions of some 3.5 billion and employees' contributions of some 1.4 billion.

Local Government Finance

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions her Department has had with Sir Michael Lyons in the last 12 months on reform of local government finance and structures.

Phil Woolas: My right hon. Friends the Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister appointed Sir Michael Lyons to undertake an independent inquiry to consider the funding, form and function of local government. His terms of reference do not include local government structures. My departmental colleagues and I have had a number of discussions with Sir Michael as he takes forward his inquiry.

Local Government Finance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Government plan to continue the procedure of supplementing local government grants by an annual formula grant amending report on the basis of changes in population.

Phil Woolas: Amending reports are not a way of supplementing grants but are rather a way of retrospectively amending the distribution within a Local Government Finance Report. The total amount of grant remains the same as that distributed via the original report.

Local Government Finance

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which 30 English local authorities had the  (a) highest and  (b) lowest council house rent collection rates (i) as a percentage of rent due net of benefit, (ii) as a percentage of gross rent due and (iii) as cash due in the last year for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: Local authorities provided rent information to the Department for Communities and Local Government on the second advance claim form.
	117 of stock-holding local authorities either reported zero rent arrears during 2004-05 or did not provide an estimate. A table showing the 30 English local authorities with the highest council house rent collection rate in 2004-05 as a percentage of rent due net of benefit and as a percentage of gross rent due has been placed in the Library of the House.
	A table showing the 30 English local authorities with the lowest council house rent collection rates in 2004-05 as a percentage of rent due net of benefit and as a percentage of gross rent due has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Figures on collection rates of cash due to local authorities are unavailable.

Local Government Finance

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which 12 English local authorities in each class have  (a) the greatest outstanding debt and  (b) the greatest outstanding debt per head of population.

Phil Woolas: The following tables show which English local authorities have the greatest outstanding debt and the greatest outstanding debt per head of population at 31 March 2006:
	
		
			  12 English local authorities with greatest outstanding debt at 31 March 2006 
			   Net debt at 31 March 2006 ( million) 
			 Birmingham 1,287.3 
			 Leeds 1,051.1 
			 Manchester 1,050.2 
			 Liverpool 818.1 
			 Sheffield 753.4 
			 Kent 677.3 
			 Haringey 563.6 
			 Islington 552.7 
			 Newham 534.4 
			 Lambeth 480.2 
			 Brent 471.1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 452.5 
		
	
	
		
			  12 English local authorities with greatest outstanding debt per head at 31 March 2006 
			   million 
			   Net debt at 31 March 2006  Total net debt per head at 31 March 2006 
			 Islington 552.7 3,026 
			 Haringey 563.6 2,511 
			 Manchester 1,050.2 2,381 
			 Newham 534.4 2,170 
			 Salford 447.5 2,068 
			 Liverpool 818.1 1,828 
			 Lambeth 480.2 1,784 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 313.8 1,745 
			 Brent 471.1 1,744 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 452.5 1,637 
			 Southwark 418.6 1,624 
			 Barnsley 346.8 1,561 
		
	
	A table showing the outstanding debt and outstanding debt per head of the principal English authorities has been placed in the Library of the house.
	Local authorities with the highest levels of debt are generally those that have large holdings of fixed assets.

Olympic Games

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what  (a) assessments and  (b) reports her Department holds on file of incidents of contamination on the proposed site of the London 2012 site at Stratford.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on individual incidents would normally be held by the appropriate regulatory body, depending on the type of incident. Information is provided to DEFRA with bids for capital project support in connection with local authorities' contaminated land responsibilities, but there have been no applications relating to this site.

Parliamentary Questions

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many written questions tabled to her Department on home information packs are unanswered.

Yvette Cooper: Since the Department was formed in May 2006, we have received about 160 written questions relating to home information packs. Of the 150 that were due for answer before 16 October, 144 have now been answered and the remaining six will be answered shortly.

Public Works

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to introduce an obligation for local authorities undertaking public works projects to display appropriate signage  (a) to describe the nature and duration of the work,  (b) to apologise for any inconvenience caused and  (c) to provide a contact telephone number; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Government's policy on these matters is set out in the Code of Practice on the Dissemination of Information during Major Infrastructure Developments published by the former DETR in 1999. This is available on my Department's website at http://www. communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1144499. Copies are available in the Library. There is specific provision for a contact telephone number to be provided at paragraph 3.4.13 of the code. The other matters would appear to be good practice, but would be provided at the discretion of the local authority or other promoter of the scheme.

Youth Centres

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding the Government have provided to  (a) local authorities and  (b) other organisations for the provision of youth centres in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Phil Woolas: The information requested for England is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information for Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Accession Country Migrants

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the estimated number of Romanian and Bulgarian migrants likely to enter the UK in 2007 following EU accession is;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on how migrants from Bulgaria and Romania will be managed following the accession of those countries to the EU.

Liam Byrne: The Government have stated that gradual access to the UK's labour market will be provided to Bulgarian and Romanian nationals when those countries join the EU on 1 January 2007. Details of those measures will be provided to Parliament later this month.

Accession Country Migrants

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposed reforms in the way statistics for migrant workers from EU countries are calculated.

Liam Byrne: The Home Department has no current plans to change the way in which we collect statisticsfor migrant workers from EU countries.

Antisocial Behaviour

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reported incidents of  (a) criminal damage and  (b) graffiti there were in England in each of the last 10 years.

Tony McNulty: Incidents of criminal damage recorded by the police and estimated by the British Crime Survey (BCS) are reported annually in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin 'Crime in England and Wales'.
	Current figures can be found in the following table. These are produced for England and Wales as a whole. Separate figures for England are not currently available. The BCS, which provides the best measure of trends over time, shows that there has been a 19 per cent. fall in incidents of criminal damage between 1995 and 2005-06.
	Incidents of graffiti are included within the overall count of criminal damage and it is not possible to provide separate estimates from the either police recorded crime statistics or the BCS.
	
		
			  Trends in criminal damage, police recorded crime statistics and the British Crime Survey, 1995 to 2005-06 
			  Number (thousand) 
			   1995  1996  1997 
			  Police recorded crime statistics
			 Total criminal damage 914 951 877 
			 
			  BCS
			 All vandalism 3,366 n/a 2,866 
			 Unweighted base(1) 16,337  14,937 
		
	
	
		
			   1998-99( 2,3)  1999-2000( 4)  2000-01  2001-02 
			  Police recorded crime statistics 
			 Total criminal damage 880 946 960 1,064 
			  
			  BCS 
			 All vandalism n/a 2,861 n/a 2,603 
			 Unweighted base(1)  19,398  32,787 
		
	
	
		
			   2002-03( 5,6)  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			  Police recorded crime statistics 
			 Total criminal damage 1,121 1,219 1,198 1,185 
			  
			  BCS 
			 All vandalism 2,535 2,465 2,564 2,731 
			 Unweighted base(1) 36,450 37,891 45,069 47,729 
			 (1) Unweighted base refers to the number of households interviewed by the BCS upon which the estimates are based. (2) Change from calendar year to financial year in reporting of recorded crime. (3) The number of crimes recorded by the police in that financial year using the expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998. (4) Figures for BCS relate to calendar year 1999. (5) Numbers of recorded crime offences will be affected by changes in reporting and recording. For further information see chapter 3 in 'Crime in England and Wales 2002/03'. (6) Police recorded crime includes figures from the British Transport Police from 2002/03 onwards.  Source:   'Crime in England and Wales 2005/06 ' Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/06, July 2006 and associated web tables http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1206tab201.xls and http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/100years.xls

Antisocial Behaviour

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what monitoring he has undertaken of the ethnic origin of those subject to antisocial behaviour orders.

Tony McNulty: Statistics are not currently collated centrally on the ethnicity of people given an ASBO. The decision to grant an ASBO as a means of protecting a community or individuals from antisocial behaviour rests with the courts, and the agencies that apply for such orders are themselves public bodies that are thus subject to the race equality duty.

Asylum/Immigration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum-seeking children are in care.

Liam Byrne: The latest estimate is that approximately 5,500 unaccompanied asylum seeking children are receiving care and support from local authorities in he United Kingdom. This estimate is based on summary claims submitted by local authorities to the National Asylum Support Service in spring 2006 for reimbursement of the costs of supporting them. A precise figure can not be determined on this basis as some local authorities will have received separate funding, not from the Home Office, for a small number of accompanied children who have been taken into care.

Asylum/Immigration

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people refused asylum in each of the last five years were subsequently granted exceptional leave to remain; and how many were granted  (a) one year's exceptional leave,  (b) two years' exceptional leave,  (c) three years' exceptional leave,  (d) four years' exceptional leave and  (e) five or more years' exceptional leave.

Liam Byrne: The requested information on the length of stay granted for exceptional leave to remain, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave to remain after an asylum application has been refused could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records (humanitarian protection and discretionary leave to remain replaced exceptional leave to remain from 1 April 2003).

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Zimbabwean citizens are applying for asylum in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Information on asylum applications by nationality is published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many initial decisions in asylum applications to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate were overturned in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: Information on asylum appeals is published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.home office.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum/Immigration

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) number and  (b) percentage of asylum seekers received permission to stay in the UK  (a) upon first application and  (b) on appeal in the latest year for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: Information on asylum initial decisions and appeals are published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum/Immigration

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the money being provided for immigration enforcement by 2010 will be spent in  (a) Gravesham and  (b) Kent.

Liam Byrne: Under the IND review, enforcement and compliance resource will be doubled by April 2009. This resource will be deployed flexibly to enable us to most efficiently meet changing operational demands and it is not possible to confirm the proportion which will be allocated to any geographic area.

Asylum/Immigration

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) refugees and  (b) immigrants of ethnic Kurdish origin entered the UK each year between 2000 and 2005.

Liam Byrne: The requested information is not available.

Asylum/Immigration

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the nationality is of babies born in the UK to unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people.

Liam Byrne: Under section one of the British Nationality Act 1981, a child born in the United Kingdom will be a British citizen at birth only if at least one parent was then a British citizen or was settled in this country. For the purposes of the Act, a parent will have been settled in the United Kingdom if ordinarily resident here and not subject to any restriction under the immigration laws on the maximum length of his or her stay.

Asylum/Immigration

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied young people are seeking asylum in  (a) Oxfordshire,  (b) the south east and  (c) the UK.

Liam Byrne: Asylum seekers apply to be granted refugee status in the UK rather than specifically in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Asylum applications data are not available at regional level.
	Information on unaccompanied asylum seeking children is published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Buddhist Groups

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 9 August 2006 to Question 85303, which other Buddhist organisations his Department consults.

Liam Byrne: The list of contacts the department has for Buddhist groups includes The Buddhist Society and the London Buddhist Vihara as well as the Network of Buddhist Organisations. We do not hold records when or how often organisations are consulted.

Children (Offences)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under the age of 14 years were  (a) convicted in the Crown court,  (b) acquitted after Crown court trial and  (c) found to be unfit to plead in the Crown court in relation to charges of (i) murder, (ii) manslaughter, (iii) rape, (iv) serious drug offences and (v) other crimes in each of the last five years; and how many of those children were in care in each year.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform for the number of children under the age of 14 years who were convicted or acquitted in the Crown court between 2000 and 2004 can be found in the following table. No children under 14 years of age were found to be unfit to plead.
	Data on the number of these children who were in care are not held centrally.
	Data for 2005 will be available in mid-November.
	
		
			  Number of children under 14 years convicted or acquitted at the Crown court, for various offences in England and Wales, 2000 to 2004( 1, 2) 
			  Defendants 
			   Murder  Manslaughter  Rape  Drug offences  Other crimes  Total 
			  Convicted   
			 2000 0 1 1 1 145 148 
			 2001 2 0 5 0 150 157 
			 2002 0 0 1 1 153 155 
			 2003 0 0 1 0 76 77 
			 2004 0 1 3 3 75 82 
			
			  Acquittals   
			 2000 0 0 7 0 89 96 
			 2001 0 0 4 0 66 70 
			 2002 0 0 88 1 75 84 
			 2003 0 0 7 0 57 64 
			 2004 0 0 7 0 50 57 
			 (1 )These data are provided on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by court and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.   Source:  RDS Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 31 July 2006 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. Syeda Khalroun Nesa Begum.

Liam Byrne: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 5 October 2006.

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for Immigration will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, dated 24 May (acknowledged 31 May 2006 re B13764/6) regarding Mr. M. Lewis, HO Ref L1049561.

Liam Byrne: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) wrote to my right hon. Friend on 26 September 2006. In the light of my right hon. Friend's question, Mr. Lewis' case was reviewed and, as a result, IND wrote again to my right hon. Friend on 5 October.

Crime

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of violence against the person were reported in Milton Keynes in each year between 1997 and 2006.

Tony McNulty: Milton Keynes is a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area (CDRP). Data at CDRP level are available from 1999-2000 and the statistics are given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Recorded offences of violence against the person in the Milton Keynes Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area1999-2000 to 2001-02 
			   Number of offences 
			 1999-2000 1,790 
			 2000-01 2,060 
			 2001-02 2,387 
			  Note: Expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules came into effect on 1 April 1998. The figures in this table are therefore not directly comparable with those for earlier years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Recorded offences of violence against the person in the Milton Keynes Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area2002-03 to 2005-06 
			   Number of offences 
			 2002-03 3,257 
			 2003-04 3,512 
			 2004-05 4,881 
			 2005-06 5,373 
			  Note: The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Crime

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to reduce the number of vehicle break-ins in Milton Keynes.

Tony McNulty: Vehicle crime, including both theft of and theft from motor vehicles, is addressed in the Milton Keynes Community Safety Partnership's (CSP) overall strategy for crime reduction, which is supported by a detailed Police Basic Command Unit (BCU) Crime Reduction Plan. The CSP continues to target vehicle crime through enforcement, prevention, intelligence and communication.
	Police operations have been targeted both at known offenders and at those areas where offences have been committed. These have been supported by regular dedicated automatic number plate recognition operations and the daily use of this technology by the Thames Valley Police Roads Policing Department in the Milton Keynes area. The CSP has also made effective use of CCTV, and has both a fixed and a mobile capability to target known 'hotspot' locations.
	There are currently 45 adult offenders on the Milton Keynes Prolific and Priority Offenders scheme, receiving intensive supervision by both the police and probation service. Of these, 23 have offending histories of, or current links to, vehicle crime.
	The CSP and police have undertaken a number of actions to raise awareness of vehicle crime and advise the public on how to protect their property. For instance, as more than 20 per cent. of vehicle crime in Milton Keynes since January 2006 has been associated with satellite navigation systems, specific communications activity has taken place to raise public awareness and reduce offending opportunities. In the longer term the partnership continues to seek to improve the overall security of its car parks.
	At a national level, officials have produced a crime prevention leaflet on the internet aimed specifically at theft of satellite navigation devices and have liaised with four of the biggest manufacturers, resulting in the introduction of improved security features in a number of devices that have recently come on the market.

Crime

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vehicle break-ins were recorded in Milton Keynes in each year between 1997 and 2006.

Tony McNulty: Milton Keynes is a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area (CDRP) and data at CDRP level are available from 1999-2000.
	The Home Office does not collect statistics specifically relating to 'vehicle break-ins'. Such offences would be included within the recorded crime classification of 'theft from a vehicle' and figures for this offence are provided in the following tables. However, it is not possible to identify the method by which property is removed i.e. whether a vehicle was actually broken into in order to obtain property.
	
		
			  Table 1: Recorded offences of theft from a vehicle in the Milton Keynes Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area1999-2000 to 2001-02 
			   Number of offences 
			 1999-2000 4,161 
			 2000-01 2,394 
			 2001-02 2,960 
			  Note: Expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules came into effect on 1 April 1998. The figures in this table are therefore not directly comparable with those for earlier years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Recorded offences of theft from a vehicle in the Milton Keynes Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area2002-03 to 2005-06 
			   Number of offences 
			 2002-03 2,533 
			 2003-04 2,382 
			 2004-05 2,555 
			 2005-06 2,334 
			  Note: The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Crime

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of crime levels in communities in West Bromwich in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 11 October 2006
	Information specifically for West Bromwich is not collected centrally. West Bromwich comes within the Sandwell Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area. In 2005-06, there were 28,619 offences recorded in Sandwell which represents a fall of 5 per cent. over the previous year. Information for 2006-07 is not yet available.

Departmental Staff

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when and how he plans to publish the disability equality scheme for his Department and in what formats.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office Disability Equality Scheme will be published on 4 December 2006 in compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. It is intended that the scheme will be produced in electronic Word and PDF documents online. It will be available in large print and Braille.

Departmental Staff

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what methods are used to involve disabled people in the production of his Department's disability equality scheme.

Liam Byrne: Focus groups, meetings, seminars and conferences have been used to involve disabled people in drafting the scheme. The Home Office has sought to involve individual disabled members of staff, disabled staff networks and external disabled organisations wherever possible. The stakeholders will be invited to comment on the scheme before its publication on 4 December.

Departmental Staff

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disabled people were hired by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what percentage of the overall work force these figures represented in each year; and how many disabled people left their employment in his Department over the same period.

Liam Byrne: Home Office data for 2003, 2004 and 2005 are published along with other Government Departments and are available in the Library of the House or online at the Cabinet Office website: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/reports/index.asp
	Figures for 2000-02 are not available without incurring disproportionate costs.
	Figures for 2006 at the civil service wide level will be available from Cabinet Office in 2007.
	Disability status is self-declared and voluntary.

Disability Equality

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has made an assessment of which policy areas will be considered in his report on progress towards disability equality within the Department's policy sector which is due to be published in December 2008.

Liam Byrne: We currently anticipate that our first report will cover the following areas:
	Protecting the Public
	Crime Reduction and Policing
	Victims of Crime
	The Criminal Justice System
	Passports and Immigration
	Managing offenders

Disability Equality

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information gathering and other actions his Department and other relevant bodies are taking to inform the public on the production of the report on progress towards disability equality within his Department's policy sector.

Liam Byrne: All relevant areas of Home Office policy will be considered in the report on progress. We will also seek an assessment of progress from Home Office Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. We are considering what specific information needs to be collected to be able to publish our report on 1 December 2008.

DNA Database

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green, of 18 April 2006,  Official Report, columns 293-94W, on the DNA database, how many in each category were not convicted of an offence.

John Reid: It is not currently possible to determine how many of the 124,347 CJ arrestees (persons with a DNA profile on the National DNA Database who have been arrested and subsequently not charged or cautioned with an offence) have never been convicted of an offence. However, some partial, new information is available on the number of these persons who have previously been charged, reported for summons or sanctioned(1) for another offence. This information was obtained by the ACPO Criminal Records Office Team who have been monitoring the DNA sampling of persons arrested for a recordable offence. The information available is shown in the following table.
	The figures show that 23,519 of the 124,347 persons with a DNA profile on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) who had been arrested but not charged or cautioned with an offence had a PNC record created prior to the arrest event when their DNA sample was taken. This indicates that these persons had previously been charged, reported for summons or sanctioned for at least one other offence.
	The figures might suggest that the remaining 100,828 persons have never been charged, reported for summons or sanctioned for any offence. However, information is not currently available on the proportion of the 124,347 persons who may have been charged, reported for summons or sanctioned for an offence after the arrest event when their DNA sample was taken.
	The Home Office, ACPO and PITO are working towards being able to provide such information from the NDNAD and PNC.
	(1)Sanctions include convictions and cautions (including reprimands and final warnings.
	
		
			  Breakdown of CJ arrestees on the National DNA Database showing persons where a PNC record had been created prior to the arrest and NFA( 1)  event 
			   Total number of records broken down by ethnicity  Number of records where a PNC record had been created prior to the arrest and NFA event( 2)  Number of records where a PNC record had not been created prior to the arrest and NFA event( 3) 
			  6+1 ethnic appearance rating
			 White European 79,349 18,717 60,632 
			 Dark European 2,183 272 1,911 
			 Afro-Caribbean 9,208 1,742 7,466 
			 Asian 7,889 1,135 6,754 
			 Oriental 1,067 60 1,007 
			 Arab 1,370 120 1,250 
			 
			  Non-ethnic visual appearance code
			 White 10,522 1,058 9,464 
			 Non-white 7,155 227 6,928 
			 
			  Unknown including N/T, not recorded, raw data not available 5,604 188 5,416 
			 
			 Total 124,347 23,519 100,828 
			 (1)NFAno further action was taken, ie the person was arrested and subsequently not charged or cautioned with an offence.  (2) Data indicate that the PNC record had been created up to 31 December 2003. Records where the individual was arrested after the arrest and NFA event are not included.  (3) Data indicate that the record was created after 31 December 2003. In these cases, the arrest and NFA event is likely to be the first time an individual has come to police notice.   Note:  Of the 124,347 total records, it has not been possible to obtain the ethnic appearance information of 5,604.

Foreign Prisoners

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Abul Azad will be deported to his country of origin once he has served his sentence.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 October 2006
	I wrote to my hon. Friend on 22 August 2006.

IMPACT Programme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what has been the total cost of the business cases which have been rejected for the establishment of an accountability structure on the IMPACT police IT programme; and why the business cases were rejected;
	(2)  whether there is an accountability structure for the IMPACT police IT programme.

Tony McNulty: Accountability for the IMPACT programme is vested in the senior responsible owner, a Home Office director who is also chief executive (designate) of the National Policing Improvement Agency. The SRO is accountable to the Secretary of State through the responsible director general and the permanent secretary. He is advised by a steering group on which the main stakeholder interests are represented at a senior level. The programme is governed by a Programme Board chaired by a representative of the Association of Chief Police Officers.
	The IMPACT programme has produced a number of business cases covering the development of the IMPACT nominal index, which has subsequently been delivered to forces and is proving to be a valuable tool in child protection work; the Cross-Regional Information Sharing Project (CRISP), which is currently in the early stages of a competitive procurement exercise; and the Police National Database (PND), which is due to be delivered in 2010. The Home Office has yet to give approval to the programme to contract for the CRISP service and to initiate procurement of the PND pending further work which is due to be concluded in March 2007.
	The cost of producing the business cases cannot be disaggregated from other programme costs without disproportionate cost. The total cost of the IMPACT programme is 31 million in 2005-06, and 45 million (budget) in the current financial year.

Kent (Sexual Assault Referral Centre)

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with Kent police regarding its decision to close the sexual assault referral centre based at Darent Valley hospital.

Vernon Coaker: Home Office officials attended a meeting with the police, representatives from the hospital and forensic medical examiners from Kent in May this year, to discuss the future of the Darent Valley Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). They advised those present that the SARC model provides the highest level of support for victims of sexual violence. It was on this basis that a start-up grant of 30,000 was provided by the Home Office to Kent police in 2003-04. The ongoing running costs of a SARC are the responsibility of local police forces and primary care trusts, and national service guidelines have been produced for these organisations on developing and sustaining SARCs.

Knife Crime

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Somalis were convicted of knife crimes in England and Wales in 2005.

Tony McNulty: It is not possible to disaggregate offences using knives, other than the offence of possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place, and homicide using a sharp instrument, from offences of violence against the person, eg grievous bodily harm. It is also not possible to identify the nationality of defendants prosecuted for offences involving knives on the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, as the individual circumstances of defendants are not collected centrally.

Marriage (Foreign Nationals)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals have paid the fee to obtain permission to marry from the Home Secretary in each month since February 2005.

Liam Byrne: From February 2005 to September 2006, 27,014 foreign nationals paid the fee to obtain a certificate of approval of marriage from the Home Secretary.
	Internal management information shows that numbers of applications received per month are as follows:
	
		
			   Number of applications received 
			 February 2005 786 
			 March 2005 1,317 
			 April 2005 1,476 
			 May 2005 1,419 
			 June 2005 1,624 
			 July 2005 1,267 
			 August 2005 1,259 
			 September 2005 1,294 
			 October 2005 1,088 
			 November 2005 1,279 
			 December 2005 901 
			 January 2006 1,217 
			 February 2006 1,400 
			 March 2006 1,841 
			 April 2006 1,339 
			 May 2006 1,615 
			 June 2006 1,318 
			 July 2006 1,767 
			 August 2006 1,346 
			 September 2006 1,461 
			 Total 27,014

Marriage (Foreign Nationals)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate has been made of the number of registration districts able to grant permission to foreign nationals to marry; and whether there are plans to increase the number.

Liam Byrne: There are 11 districts and 76 offices able to grant permission to foreign nationals to marry. There are no plans to increase this number

Marriage (Foreign Nationals)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time is for couples seeking permission to marry from the Home Secretary due to one or both partners being a non-European economic area national.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only by examination of individual records at a disproportionate cost.

Mobile Phones

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the use of pay as you go mobile phones on the level of UK crime.

Vernon Coaker: In December 2001, the Home Office published a comprehensive assessment (Harrington and Mayhew) of the impact of the mobile phone on crime. This study helped to provide the basis for close working with the police and the mobile phone industry, to reduce mobile phone crime generally.
	However, no assessment has been made of the impact specifically of the use of pay as you go mobile phones on the level of crime in the UK.

Motoring

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many two wheeled vehicles with an engine capacity of less than 50ccs were  (a) confiscated and  (b) crushed in each of the last four years, broken down by police authority.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not collected centrally

Parliamentary Questions

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to Question 69655, on foreign prisoners, tabled by the hon. Member for St. Albans on 4 May 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 19 June 2006
	I replied to the hon. Member on 29 June 2006, printed on 2 October 2006,  Official Report, column 2615W.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) police officers and  (b) police community support officers were employed by each police force in March.

Tony McNulty: The available information relates to police service strength and is published in Table 1 for Police Officer strength and Table 10a for Police Community Support Officer strength of 'Police Service Strength, England and Wales 31 March 2006'. This report was published on 26 July 2006 and is available in the Library of the House and on:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1306 .pdf

Police

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) community support officers and  (b) frontline policemen were recruited for the Milton Keynes Basic Command Unit in each year between 1997 and 2005.

Tony McNulty: Milton Keynes is a Basic Command Unit (BCU) within the Thames Valley Police force.
	The requested data are not collected centrally. Available data for the number of police community support officers annually recruited relate only to force area level and from 2002-03 onwards. Available data for the number of police officers annually recruited are only available at force area level.
	
		
			  Table 1: Joining figures for Police Community Support Officers within Thames Valley police force (FTE)( 1)  2002-03 to 2004-05( 2) 
			   PCSO Joiners( 2) 
			  2002-03 0 
			  2003-04 5 
			  2004-05 77 
			 (1) Full Time Equivalent. Includes those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (2) Joining figures also include transfers from other forces within England and Wales.  Note: Police community support officers were introduced in statute in 2002, therefore data is not available prior to 2002-03. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Joining figures for Police Officers within Thames Valley police force (FTE)( 1) 1997-98 to 2004-05( 2) 
			   Police Officers Joining( 2) 
			 2001-02 321 
			 2003-04 520 
			 1997-98 276 
			 1998-99 153 
			 1999-2000 190 
			 2000-01 237 
			 2002-03 458 
			 2004-05 395 
			 (1) Full Time Equivalent. Includes those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.  (2) Joining figures also include transfers from other forces within England and Wales. Note: Data not available prior to 1997-98.

Police

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serving police officers from English and Welsh constabularies are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tony McNulty: The number of officers may vary and I am therefore answering this question in relation to a specific day. On 4 October there were 15 serving officers from police forces in England and Wales serving in Iraq and none in Afghanistan. There were also 14 individuals in Iraq either from other forces, or retired or working as police staff, and one officer from another force in Afghanistan.

Police

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he plans to take to ensure that measures to recruit ethnic minorities and more women to the police services in England do not unlawfully discriminate against other applicants.

Tony McNulty: Police recruitment is managed locally within a national application and assessment and selection framework. Individual forces are therefore responsible for managing their campaigns.
	We support forces in taking positive action to increase the number of recruits from under-represented minority groups in order to make the police service fully representative of the communities it serves. While we encourage forces to take every possible step within existing legislation to improve their diversity we do not support positive discrimination, which is illegal.

Police

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in relation to current and future funding levels for Greater Manchester police; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Secretary of State has received one letter, dated 9 October, from the hon. member for Cheadle. We have received no other recent representations about current and future funding for Greater Manchester police authority.

Police

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms were seized by Greater Manchester police in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: The requested data are not held centrally.

Police

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of policing demonstrations on 22 July against the new vivisection laboratory in Oxford.

Tony McNulty: Operational matters are not routinely disclosed.

Post Office (Complaints)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints regarding undelivered post sent by registered delivery his Department has  (a) made and  (b) received in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: Records of complaints regarding undelivered post sent by registered delivery are not held centrally.

Prisons

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) certified normal accommodation and  (b) certified operational capacity level is for each prison; and how many prisoners each prison held on the latest date for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table shows baseline certified normal accommodation (CNA), in use CNA, operational capacity, and population figures for each establishment in England and Wales on 29 September 2006, the latest date for which figures are available.
	Instances where population exceeds operational capacity are due to prisoners being out on authorised absences, such as when a prisoner is being held outside the establishment, for example in hospital, or on release on temporary licence, or where cell certification changes have been authorised but have not yet been updated centrally.
	
		
			  Prison name  Baseline CNA  In use CNA  Operational capacity  Population 
			 Acklington 882 854 854 846 
			 Albany 527 527 527 527 
			 Altcourse 614 614 1,024 1,017 
			 Ashfield 407 400 380 397 
			 Ashwell 535 535 545 543 
			 Askham Grange 153 126 128 100 
			 Aylesbury 437 437 444 440 
			 Bedford 325 325 494 481 
			 Belmarsh 799 799 915 914 
			 Birmingham 1,121 1,121 1,450 1,450 
			 Blakenhurst 827 821 1,070 1,065 
			 Blantyre House 122 122 122 120 
			 Blundeston 420 420 464 465 
			 Brinsford 473 473 489 477 
			 Bristol 420 420 606 600 
			 Brixton 606 606 798 804 
			 Brockhill 164 136 136 163 
			 Bronzefield 450 450 450 433 
			 Buckley Hall 350 350 385 380 
			 Bullingdon 759 759 963 959 
			 Bullwood Hall 180 180 184 171 
			 Camp Hill 513 513 585 585 
			 Canterbury 196 196 284 282 
			 Cardiff 524 524 754 748 
			 Castington 400 400 410 379 
			 Channings Wood 634 634 667 663 
			 Chelmsford 441 438 575 584 
			 Coldingley 370 370 392 389 
			 Cookham Wood 137 137 185 190 
			 Dartmoor 598 598 625 622 
			 Deerbolt 513 453 458 447 
			 Doncaster 771 771 1,135 1,138 
			 Dorchester 147 147 260 260 
			 Dovegate 800 800 860 832 
			 Dover 316 316 316 295 
			 Downview 362 347 347 346 
			 Drake Hall 315 315 315 299 
			 Durham 591 591 981 953 
			 East Sutton Park 94 94 100 93 
			 Eastwood Park 326 326 362 350 
			 Edmunds Hill 366 366 371 353 
			 Elmley 753 753 985 985 
			 Erlestoke 426 426 426 425 
			 Everthorpe 635 634 680 659 
			 Exeter 316 316 533 515 
			 Featherstone 599 599 615 610 
			 Feltham 764 764 764 612 
			 Ford 541 541 541 481 
			 Forest Bank 800 800 1,064 1,030 
			 Foston Hall 267 267 274 232 
			 Frankland 733 718 734 699 
			 Full Sutton 604 576 588 571 
			 Garth 633 585 619 609 
			 Gartree 666 570 575 572 
			 Glen Parva 668 668 808 810 
			 Gloucester 225 225 323 305 
			 Grendon 254 241 235 212 
			 Guys Marsh 519 519 578 574 
			 Haslar 160 160 160 138 
			 Haverigg 558 558 568 564 
			 Hewell Grange 187 187 187 181 
			 Highdown 643 643 747 747 
			 Highpoint 792 792 816 816 
			 Hindley 539 455 455 432 
			 Hollesley Bay 330 330 330 322 
			 Holloway 544 491 493 484 
			 Holme House 857 857 994 992 
			 Hull 723 723 1,000 994 
			 Huntercombe 360 360 368 360 
			 Kingston 194 194 195 193 
			 Kirkham 590 550 550 511 
			 Kirklevington 223 223 223 222 
			 Lancaster 159 159 243 240 
			 Lancaster Farms 480 480 527 508 
			 Latchmere House 207 207 207 190 
			 Leeds 803 803 1,150 1,166 
			 Leicester 206 206 385 338 
			 Lewes 458 458 558 531 
			 Leyhill 512 512 512 423 
			 Lincoln 449 306 490 490 
			 Lindholme 982 982 982 955 
			 Littlehey 663 663 706 691 
			 Liverpool 1,145 1,131 1,393 1,341 
			 Long Lartin 594 454 454 434 
			 Low Newton 343 278 310 282 
			 Lowdham Grange 504 504 564 555 
			 Maidstone 559 559 589 586 
			 Manchester 961 954 1,269 1,232 
			 Moorland 740 740 791 762 
			 Moorland Open 260 257 257 250 
			 Morton Hall 392 392 392 383 
			 Mount 704 704 720 710 
			 New Hall 393 393 443 401 
			 North Sea Camp 306 306 306 298 
			 Northallerton 153 153 252 239 
			 Norwich 587 587 824 775 
			 Nottingham 564 383 510 511 
			 Onley 640 580 580 568 
			 Parc 838 838 1,036 1,038 
			 Parkhurst 462 462 510 510 
			 Pentonville 921 806 1,127 1,016 
			 Peterborough 840 840 888 864 
			 Portland 529 498 524 504 
			 Prescoed 160 160 170 163 
			 Preston 445 382 690 665 
			 Ranby 912 912 1,038 1,025 
			 Reading 190 190 297 275 
			 Risley 1,050 1,038 1,085 1,082 
			 Rochester 392 392 392 389 
			 Rye Hill 600 600 600 592 
			 Send 218 218 218 214 
			 Shepton Mallet 165 165 189 185 
			 Shrewsbury 182 179 340 338 
			 Spring Hill 334 329 329 309 
			 Stafford 680 676 676 668 
			 Standford Hill 464 464 464 408 
			 Stocken 595 595 622 620 
			 Stoke Heath 574 574 690 663 
			 Styal 442 419 469 463 
			 Sudbury 563 563 571 565 
			 Swaleside 756 756 778 773 
			 Swansea 250 250 428 426 
			 Swinfen Hall 600 600 620 614 
			 Thorn Cross 322 322 321 245 
			 Usk 150 150 250 247 
			 Verne 552 552 587 586 
			 Wakefield 748 748 751 734 
			 Wandsworth 1,113 965 1,456 1,456 
			 Warren Hill 222 222 222 215 
			 Wayland 657 657 709 701 
			 Wealstun 885 885 907 804 
			 Weare 0 0 0 0 
			 Wellingborough 636 604 614 608 
			 Werrington 160 160 162 146 
			 Wetherby 360 339 363 362 
			 Whatton 719 719 761 757 
			 Whitemoor 492 464 458 436 
			 Winchester 475 475 697 698 
			 Wolds 320 300 360 347 
			 Woodhill 677 650 762 771 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 1,172 1,156 1,239 1,243 
			 Wymott 1,021 997 1,046 1,041

Prisons

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overcrowding notifications the Department received from each prison in each year since 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Operational capacity of a prison is determined and approved by Senior Managers and the Prison Service in accordance with PSO 1900 Certified Prisoner Accommodation. These decisions are based on these managers' knowledge of establishment regime and infrastructure.
	It is not possible to identify separately from the notifications all the changes to prison capacity due to overcrowding.

Prisons

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Welsh-speaking prisoners are held in each institution in England and Wales; and how many of these are  (a) sentenced adult male prisoners,  (b) remanded adult male prisoners,  (c) sentenced women prisoners,  (d) remanded women prisoners,  (e) sentenced young offenders and  (f) remanded young offenders.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information regarding the number of prisoners detained in prison establishments in England and Wales who speak Welsh is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 2 August 2006 to question 88351, whether those Serious Organised Crime Agency staff deployed to Colombia who enjoy diplomatic immunity are subject to UK law.

Vernon Coaker: By virtue of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, all staff with diplomatic accreditation are under a duty to respect local law. SOCA officers stationed overseas are liable, as persons in public employment, to be prosecuted in England for offences committed in the course of their employment overseas.

Spam E-mail

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to host a world event to discuss increasing levels of spam e-mail since the introduction of the Privacy and Communications Act 2003.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	We have no plans to host an international event on spam. The subject is on the agenda of relevant multilateral bodies and we expect it to be one of the subjects discussed in the forthcoming Internet Governance Forum in Athens.

Thames Valley Police

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions there are within Thames Valley Police for officers who wish to transfer  (a) from Milton Keynes Basic Command Unit and  (b) to Milton Keynes Basic Command Unit from other basic command units in the force.

Tony McNulty: The policy on transfers within a force is a matter for the Chief Constable.

Zimbabwe

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were deported to Zimbabwe in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: The following table shows the number of persons removed from the UK to Zimbabwe in 2004 and 2005. Information on the destination of persons removed from the UK has only been available since 2004.
	Published information is available on the total number of persons removed as a result of deportation action for years up to 2002 in the Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom Command Paper. Published editions of this Command Paper and other information on immigration and asylum are available on the Home Office's Research Development and Statistics web site at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	Information on deportation action is not available for 2003, 2004 and 2005 due to data quality issues. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate is currently putting in place new processes to improve its data collection systems for the future in this area.
	
		
			  Removals, voluntary departures and assisted returns of persons to Zimbabwe( 1,2) 
			  Number of persons 
			   2004  2005( 3,5)  Total( 2,5) 
			  Persons removed to Zimbabwe 275 515 790 
			 of whom:
			 principal asylum applicants(4) 105 255 360 
			 dependants of asylum applicants 10 30 35 
			 non-asylum cases 160 235 395 
			 (1 )Figures rounded to the nearest five and may not sum due to rounding.  (2 )Includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them and persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organization for Migration.  (3 )Removals in 2005 include those who it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.  (4) Persons who had sought asylum at some stage, excluding dependants.  (5 )Provisional figures.

Zimbabwe

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the UK are awaiting deportation to Zimbabwe.

Liam Byrne: This information is not available.
	Published statistics on immigration and asylum are available on the Home Office's Research Development and Statistics website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

TREASURY

Alternatively Secured Pensions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the Government's policy is on the future availability of Alternatively Secured Pensions; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether there is a requirement to be a member of the Plymouth Brethren for the purposes of taking out an Alternatively Secured Pension;
	(3)  whether he has had discussions with the Financial Services Authority on issuing guidance to regulated firms on the sale of Alternatively Secured Pensions;
	(4)  whether future changes to the tax treatment of Alternatively Secured Pensions will apply to existing contracts;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which the rules on Alternatively Secured Pensions discriminate against any individuals on the grounds of their religious faith.

Edward Balls: The information requested can be found at paragraph 5.61 and 5.62 of the Budget 2006: A strong and strengthening economy (HC 968).
	The Government have extensive discussions with the FSA on a wide range of issues. As an independent regulator the FSA is responsible for its own guidance to regulated firms.

Average Incomes

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average income was in each of the last 30 years at today's prices.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on what the level of average income was in each of the last 30 years at today's prices. (93511)
	Average income at today's prices is taken to be real households' disposable income which is shown in the attached table. Further data are available from table 2.4 (Income, product and spending per head) in Economic Trends which is available at the following address: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=308Pos=ColRank=1Rank=422
	Average real households' disposable income is calculated using the total resident population for the United Kingdom
	The estimates for real household disposable income is the national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. Estimates for households alone are not available. NPISHs are legal entities which are principally engaged in the production of non-market services for households and whose main resources are voluntary contributions by households. For example, charities; relief and aid organisations; educational establishments; Trade Unions; Professional Associations, Political Parties and Religious Organisations, and Sports Clubs and Associations.
	
		
			  Real households' disposable income per head (), 1976-2005 
			   Real households' disposable income per head () 
			 1976 6,160 
			 1977 6,037 
			 1978 6,480 
			 1979 6,856 
			 1980 6,958 
			 1981 6,922 
			 1982 6,907 
			 1983 7,044 
			 1984 7,295 
			 1985 7,525 
			 1986 7,817 
			 1987 8,088 
			 1988 8,516 
			 1989 8,888 
			 1990 9,166 
			 1991 9,318 
			 1992 9,564 
			 1993 9,793 
			 1994 9,911 
			 1995 10,142 
			 1996 10,358 
			 1997 10,721 
			 1998 10,850 
			 1999 11,111 
			 2000 11,570 
			 2001 12,021 
			 2002 12,184 
			 2003 12,433 
			 2004 12,583 
			 2005 12,782

Cancer

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) breast cancer in women and  (b) lung cancer in men death rates were in each of the last 20 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) breast cancer in women and (b) lung cancer in men death rates were in each of the last 20 years. (93837)
	The most recent year for which figures are available is 2004. The table below shows the age-standardised death rate from breast cancer for females and lung cancer for males in England and Wales for the years 1985 to 2004.
	
		
			  Death rates( 1)  from lung cancer in males and breast cancer in females( 2) , England and Wales, 1985 to 2004( 3) 
			   Death rate per 100,000 population 
			   Lung cancer in males  Breast cancer in females 
			 1985 99 42 
			 1986 95 42 
			 1987 92 42 
			 1988 92 42 
			 1989 88 42 
			 1990 87 41 
			 1991 84 40 
			 1992 81 40 
			 1993 77 38 
			 1994 75 37 
			 1995 71 36 
			 1996 68 34 
			 1997 65 34 
			 1998 64 33 
			 1999 61 32 
			 2000 59 31 
			 2001 57 31 
			 2002 56 30 
			 2003 54 29 
			 2004 52 29 
			 (1) Rate per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population.  (2) Selected using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 162 for lung cancer and 174 for female breast cancer for the years 1985 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (1CD-10) codes C33-C34 for lung cancer and C50 for breast cancer for 2001 onwards.  Between 1984 and 1992 a different interpretation of ICD-9 selection Rule 3 was used to code underlying cause of death in England and Wales to that used internationally. This change means that comparisons between this period and years before and after, should be interpreted with caution. The impact of the change on mortality statistics was analysed and reported in annual mortality publications in 1984 and 1994. *The introduction of ICD-l0 for coding cause of death in 2001 also means that figures are not completely comparable with data for years before this date. Comparisons between the data before and after 2001 should therefore also be interpreted with caution. An article specifically examining the effect of the change in classification for cancer trends was published in Health Statistics Quarterly 23. ** More information about these change can be found on the National Statistics website at www.statistics.gov.uk/icdl0mortality.  (3) Figures are for registrations of death in each calendar year from 1985 to 1992 and for occurrences of death in each calendar year from 1993 onwards. * Mortality statistics: Cause 1984. DH2 No.l1, pg viii-ix.  Mortality statistics: Cause 1993 (revised) and 1994. DH2 No.21, pg xxv-xxxiii.  ** Brock A, Griffiths C, Rooney C (2004) The effect of the introduction of ICD-10 on cancer mortality trends in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 23, 7-17.

Cancer

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cancer mortality rates were in each of the last 30 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the cancer mortality rates were in each of the last 30 years. (93938)
	The most recent year for which figures are available is 2004. The attached table shows the age-standardised death rate from cancer in England and Wales for the years 1975 to 2004.
	
		
			  Death rates( 1)  from cancer( 2) , England and Wales, 1975 to 2004( 3) 
			   Death rate per 100,000 population 
			 1975 214 
			 1976 218 
			 1977 215 
			 1978 217 
			 1979 218 
			 1980 217 
			 1981 216 
			 1982 215 
			 1983 218 
			 1984 224 
			 1985 224 
			 1986 221 
			 1987 221 
			 1988 223 
			 1989 222 
			 1990 219 
			 1991 218 
			 1992 217 
			 1993 211 
			 1994 208 
			 1995 205 
			 1996 201 
			 1997 196 
			 1998 196 
			 1999 191 
			 2000 187 
			 2001 188 
			 2002 187 
			 2003 184 
			 2004 180 
			 (1) Rate per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population.  (2) Selected using the International Classification of Diseases, Eighth Revision (ICD-8) codes 140-207 for the years 1975 to 1978, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 140-208 for the years 1979 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 for 2001 onwards. Between 1984 and 1992 a different interpretation of ICD-9 selection Rule 3 was used to code underlying cause of death in England and Wales to that used internationally. This change means that comparisons between this period and years before and after, should be interpreted with caution. The impact of the change on mortality statistics was analysed and reported in annual mortality publications in 1984 and 1994. * The introduction of ICD-l0 for coding cause of death in 2001 also means that figures are not completely comparable with data for years before this date. Comparisons between the data before and after 2001 should therefore also be interpreted with caution. An article specifically examining the effect of the change in classification for cancer trends was published in Health Statistics Quarterly 23. ** More information about these changes can be found on the National Statistics website at www.statistics.gov.uk/icdl0mortality.  (3) Figures are for registrations of death in each calendar year from 1975 to 1992 and for occurrences of death in each calendar year from 1993 onwards.   * Mortality statistics: Cause 1984. DH2 No.l1, pg viii-ix.  Mortality statistics: Cause 1993 (revised) and 1994. DH2 No.21, pg xxv-xxxiii.  ** Brock A, Griffiths C, Rooney C (2004) The effect of the introduction of ICD-10 on cancer mortality trends in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 23, 7-17.

Child Tax Credit

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average increase in weekly income has been for families in receipt of child tax credits in each year since its introduction.

Dawn Primarolo: Tax credit entitlement is calculated using annual income, and we do not collect information on weekly incomes. Therefore the information requested is not available.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

John Healey: The available information is presented in the table. In most cases, the bodies' accounting systems do not record accommodation costs separately, so the figures are for subsistence, which includes accommodation and associated allowances for meals. Therefore further analysis could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2006-07 will be published after the end of the current financial year.
	All travel and subsistence is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code.
	
		
			  000 
			  Department/agency/NDPB   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 HM Treasury(1) UK  49 85 78 72 
			  Overseas  260 237 272 323 
			
			 Debt Management Office UK 2 2 1 2 3 
			  Overseas 4 9 6 4 3 
			
			 Office of Government Commerce UK 339 332 373 455 539 
			  Overseas 26 64 11 10 8 
			
			 OGCbuying.solutions(2)  74 118 186 191 313 
			
			 Valuation Office Agency(3)  1,041 1,040 1,164 1,255 1,418 
			 HM Revenue and Customs(4) UK 39,278 40,246 43,254 46,290 44,924 
			  Overseas 3,994 4,162 4,789 4,350 4,519 
			
			 Royal Mint(3)  490 466 536 486 514 
			
			 National Savings and Investments(5)  145 117 92 103 125 
			
			 Office of National Statistics UK 2,264 2,210 2,702 3,005 2,729 
			  Overseas 642 636 612 504 539 
			
			 Government Actuary's Department(6) UK   5 3 10 
			  Overseas   10 14 17 
			
			 Statistics Commission UK 0 0 0 1 0 
			  Overseas 0 0 0 0 1 
			 (1) Treasury figures include Ministers, staff and other persons. Treasury subsistence costs for 2001-02 cannot be disaggregated from travel costs. (2) OGCbuying.solutions figures are for accommodation only, excluding meals, including both UK and overseas accommodation. (3) The amounts for The Royal Mint and The Valuation Office Agency include both UK and overseas subsistence. (4) HM Revenue and Customs figures include travel costs of the former HM Customs and Excise which cannot be disaggregated from subsistence. (5) The figures for National Savings and Investments are the estimated cost of both UK and Overseas travel and subsistence. (6) GAD are unable to provide any data covering financial years 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Drug-related Deaths

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths  (a) heroin,  (b) ecstasy,  (c) amphetamines,  (d) other drugs,  (e) alcohol and  (f) tobacco were recorded as causes in each year since 1990, broken down by NHS trust.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibilities of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 9 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking in how many deaths  (a) heroin,  (b) ecstasy,  (c) amphetamines,  (d) other drugs,  (e) alcohol and  (f) tobacco were recorded as causes in each year since 1990, broken down by NHS board. (89424)
	Although there are health boards in Scotland, there are no directly equivalent areas in England and Wales. The nearest equivalents are primary care organisations (PCOs). ONS could, however, supply the information requested for PCOs at disproportionate cost only.
	National figures for drug-related poisoning deaths in England and Wales are published on the National Statistics website. Figures are not available before 1993 and the most recent results are for 2004. These are available in tables linked from the following page:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=806
	These tables report on drug-related poisonings by substance, including heroin/morphine, ecstasy, and all amphetamines.
	The number of alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales from 1990 to 2004 are included in the following table.
	As smoking history is rarely recorded on death certificates the number of tobacco-related deaths cannot be directly determined. Estimates can however be made of the number of deaths attributable to smoking, by using information on the contribution that smoking makes to specific conditions recorded at death. The most recent estimates for England were published by the Health Development Agency in 2004.(1 )This report estimated that over the period 1998-2002 an average of 86,500 deaths were caused by smoking each year in England.
	(1) Twigg L, Moon G and Walker S. The smoking epidemic in England. Health Development Agency, 2004.
	
		
			  Alcohol-related deaths,( 1)  England and Wales,( 2 ) 1990-2004( 3) 
			   Number of deaths 
			 1990 3,368 
			 1991 3,415 
			 1992 3,346 
			 1993 3,372 
			 1994 3,691 
			 1995 4,074 
			 1996 4,309 
			 1997 4,743 
			 1998 5,093 
			 1999 5,329 
			 2000 5,471 
			 2001 5,845 
			 2002 5,914 
			 2003 6,491 
			 2004 6,526 
			 (1) The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), from 1990 to 2000 and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) from 2001-2004. The codes used to select alcohol-related deaths are listed:   ICD-9  Alcoholic psychoses - ICD-9 291 Alcohol dependence syndrome - ICD-9 303 Non-dependent abuse of alcohol - ICD-9 305.0  Alcoholic cardiomyopathy - ICD-9 425.5  Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis - ICD-9 571 (excluding biliary cirrhosis - ICD-9 571.6)  Accidental poisoning by alcohol - ICD-9 E860   ICD-10  Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol - ICD-10 F10  Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol - ICD-10 G31.2  Alcoholic polyneuropathy - ICD-10 G62.1  Alcoholic cardiomyopathy - ICD-10 142.6 Alcoholic gastritis - ICD-10 K29.2  Alcoholic liver disease - ICD-10 K70 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified - ICD-10 K73  Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver - ICD-10 K74 (Excluding biliary cirrhosis - ICD-10 K74.3-K74.5)  Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis - ICD-10 K86.0  Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol - ICD-10 X45  Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol - ICD-10 X65  Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent - ICD-10 Y15.  (2) Includes non-residents.  (3 )Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year for 1990-1992 and for deaths occurring in each calendar year in 1993-2004.

Employment Statistics

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people moved from  (a) unemployed to employed and  (b) economically inactive to employed status in each quarter since 2002, broken down by (i) region and (ii) country; and what proportion of the labour force these people represented in (A) each quarter and (B) each area.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 12 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the movement of people from unemployment to employment, and from economic inactivity to employment since 2002. (92780)
	The Longitudinal Labour Force Survey (LLFS) gives information on the flows over two quarters between the three main economic activity categories of employment, unemployment and inactivity. In any quarter, only around 6 per cent of respondents change their economic activity status. The attached table shows the proportion of the working age population in each of the economic activity categories compared to the previous quarter from 2002 to 2005 for the UK, Due to the small number of respondents who do change their economic activity status, meaningful estimates of the number of people and estimates by country and region are not available These estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		
			  Proportions moving between economic statuses from one quarter to the next; 2002-2005, United Kingdom: not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage( 1) 
			   No change of status between quarters 
			   Stayed in employment  Stayed unemployed  Stayed inactive 
			 Winter/spring 2002 71.7 2.2 19.0 
			 Spring/summer2002 71.7 2.1 13.0 
			 Summer/autumn 2002 71.8 2.1 18.9 
			 Autumn/winter 2002 71.8 2.1 19.9 
			 Winter/spring 2003 71.9 2.1 18.8 
			 Spring/summer 2003 71.9 2.1 18.9 
			 Summer/autumn 2003 72..0 2.1 18.9 
			 Autumn/winter 2003 72.0 2.0 18.0 
			 Winter/spring 2004 72.0 2.0 16.9 
			 Spring/summer 2004 72.0 1.9 18,9 
			 Summer/autumn 2004 72.1 1.9 18.9 
			 Autumn/winter 2004 71.7 1.9 18.8 
			 Winter/spring 2005 72.1 1.9 18.9 
			 Spring/summer 2005 72.1 1.9 18.9 
			 Summer/autumn 2005 72.1 2.0 189 
			 Autumn/winter 2005 72.0 2.0 18.7 
		
	
	
		
			   Percentage( 1) 
			   Changed status between quarters 
			   Unemployed to employed  Inactive to employed  Inactive to unemployed  Employed to unemployed  Employed to inactive  Unemployed to inactive  Total 
			 Winter/spring 2002 1.2 1.3 0.9 1.0 1.4 0.7 too 
			 Spring/summer 2002 1.2 1.3 1.0 1.0 14 0.7 100 
			 Summer/autumn 2002 1.2 1.3 1.0 1.0 14 0.8 100 
			 Autumn/winter 2002 1.3 1.3 1.0 1.0 14 0.8 100 
			 Winter/spring 2003 1.2 1.3 0.9 1.0 14 0.8 100 
			 Spring/summer 2003 1.2 1.3 0.9 0.9 14 0.8 100 
			 Summer/autumn 2003 1.2 1.3 0.9 0.9 14 0.7 100 
			 Autumn/winter 2003 1.2 1.3 0.9 0.9 1.5 0.7 100 
			 Winter/spring 2004 1.2 1.4 0.9 0.9 1.5 0.8 100 
			 Spring/summer 2004 1.2 1.4 1.0 0.9 15 0.7 100 
			 Summer/autumn 2004 1.2 1.4 1.0 0.9 15 0.8 100 
			 Autumn/winter 2004 1.1 1.4 1.0 0.9 15 0.8 100 
			 Winter/spring 2005 1.2 1.4 1.0 0.9 14 0.8 100 
			 Spring/summer 2005 1.1 1.3 1.0 0.9 1.4 0.8 100 
			 Summer/autumn 2005 1.1 1.3 1.0 0.9 14 0.7 100 
			 Autumn/winter 2005 1.1 1.4 1.0 0.9 15 0.8 100 
			 (1 )Percentage of all working adults, 16-59 (w), 16-64 (m)  Note: The data relate to the average of the four quarter flows ending at the date shown.  Source: ONS Labour Force Survey

Employment Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in employment in each  (a) county and  (b) constituency in (i) 1986, (ii) 1996 and (iii) 2006.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment. (93512)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of employment and for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of people in employment, resident in each English administrative county for the 12 months ending February 1997 from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 months ending March 2006 from the APS. Table 2 shows corresponding information for each Parliamentary Constituency in Great Britain. Data for 1986 are not available.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	Since the information is extensive, copies of these tables have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Employment Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the employment rate has been in each of the last 30 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment rates over the last thirty years. (93745)
	The attached table gives the employment rates by gender from 1976 to 2006. These are based on an annual average ending in December for each year.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Employment rates( 1)  for people of working age( 2)  by gender, 1976 to 2006, United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			  12 months ending December each year  All persons  Men  Women 
			 1976 75 89 59 
			 1977 74 88 59 
			 1978 74 88 59 
			 1979 74 87 60 
			 1980 73 85 60 
			 1981 71 82 59 
			 1982 69 79 58 
			 1983 68 78 58 
			 1984 69 78 59 
			 1985 70 78 61 
			 1986 70 78 61 
			 1987 71 79 63 
			 1988 73 81 65 
			 1989 75 82 66 
			 1990 75 82 67 
			 1991 73 79 66 
			 1992 71 76 65 
			 1993 70 75 65 
			 1994 71 76 65 
			 1995 71 76 66 
			 1996 72 77 67 
			 1997 73 78 67 
			 1998 73 78 68 
			 1999 74 79 69 
			 2000 74 79 69 
			 2001 75 79 69 
			 2002 75 79 70 
			 2003 75 79 70 
			 2004 75 79 70 
			 2005 75 79 70 
			 2006(3) 75 79 70 
			 (1 )People in employment as a percentage of all persons. (2) Men aged 16 to 64 and women age 16 to 59. (3 )Seven months ending July 2006.  Source:  ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Employment Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many redundancies there were  (a) in total and  (b) as a percentage of the workforce in each (i) local authority area and (ii) region in each of the last 30 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about redundancies. (93756)
	Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Employment Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs there were in each of the 250 most rural constituencies in each of the last 20 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about numbers of jobs in the most rural constituencies. (93807)
	Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Employment Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the unemployment rate was in the 250 most rural constituencies in each of the last 20 years; and what the total percentage change was during each year.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (93808)
	Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Fuel (VAT)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of VAT was applied to fuel in each of the last 30 years.

John Healey: The information requested is published in the Tax Benefit Reference Manual 2006-07 Edition which is available from the House of Commons Library.

Inheritance Tax

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors were taken into account when deciding that the costs of selling a property should not be deducted from the value of the estate when calculating inheritance tax; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The value of an estate for inheritance tax purposes is the open market value of the deceased's assets, less that person's own liabilities, at the date of their death. The costs of selling a property during the administration of an estate fall under the general rule that expenses which are not those of the deceased are not taken into account in the inheritance tax calculation.

Iran

Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions were held at the most recent Group of Seven Finance Ministers meeting on measures to limit Iran's access to international financial systems.

Edward Balls: At their September meeting, G7 Ministers discussed a number of global economic issues. Among these, they discussed abuse of the international financial system and agreed to intensify their efforts to combat monetary laundering, proliferation networks as well as terrorist and illicit financing by addressing global financial vulnerabilities particularly those associated with jurisdictions that have failed to recognize international standards. They urged the FATF to focus on identifying and adopting appropriate measures within its mandate and asked the IMF and the World Bank to work closely with the FATF to foster implementation of the relevant international standards. They also encouraged all countries to publish their full evaluations.

Job Vacancies

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there were in each  (a) region and  (b) country in each quarter since 2005.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about regional and national job vacancies. (92781)
	A comprehensive estimate of vacancies is only available from the Office for National Statistics Vacancy Survey, which provides information at a United Kingdom level only. The seasonally adjusted estimates for the UK for each quarter from 2005 can be found in the attached table.
	
		
			  Numbers of vacancies, United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			  Three months ending:  Total 
			  2005  
			 March 636.5 
			 June 632.7 
			 September 612.5 
			 December 596.5 
			   
			  2006  
			 March 596.2 
			 June 598.4 
			  Note:  Figures exclude Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing.  Source: ONS Vacancy Survey.

Lone Parents

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many lone parents entered employment in each  (a) county,  (b) constituency and  (c) region of the UK in each of the last 30 years, grouped by region; and what percentage of the workforce each figure represents.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about numbers of lone parents entering employment. (93500)
	Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Long-term Unemployment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many long-term unemployed there were in each  (a) constituency and  (b) county in each of the last 30 years, grouped by region.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about long-term unemployment. (93501)
	Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Long-term Unemployment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of long-term youth unemployment was in each  (a) constituency and  (b) county in each of the last 30 years, grouped by region.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about long-term youth unemployment. (93498)
	Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Non-profit Making Organisations (VAT)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much VAT revenue was collected on merchandise sold by non-profit-making organisations on behalf of charities in each of the last five years for which records are available;
	(2)  if he will seek to allow VAT  (a) exemptions and  (b) reductions on merchandise sold by non-profit-making organisations on behalf of charities.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available. HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on VAT relating to individual goods and services.
	The sale of merchandise at certain fundraising events organised by, or to raise funds for, charities and certain non-profit-making bodies is already exempt from VAT. In addition, the sale of donated goods by a non-profit-making organisation or a charity subsidiary is zero rated when any profits from the sale are transferred to a charity.
	Under agreements governing the application of VAT reliefs throughout the EU, successive Governments have agreed with European partners not to extend any existing VAT zero rates or introduce any new ones. The scope of the exemptions from VAT and reduced rates is also limited by European VAT agreements. It is therefore not possible for the Government to introduce any new VAT zero rates, or to extend the existing exemption for fundraising supplies. Similarly, our European VAT agreements would not allow a reduced rate of VAT that applied only to sales of merchandise by non-profit-making organisations on behalf of charities.

Non-profit Making Organisations (VAT)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any special VAT exemptions have been allowed to any non-profit-making organisations not registered as charities in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1845W.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Paymaster General gave instructions to the Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that all draft parliamentary answers to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) were to be cleared first by the Chairman of HMRC; when this instruction was given; whether it is still in effect; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Officials are involved as necessary in the process of preparing answers to parliamentary questions. Ministers are responsible for the answers they give to hon. Members.

Retired Women (Self-assessment)

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many retired women between the ages of 60 and 65 years in  (a) North West Leicestershire,  (b) the East Midlands and  (c) England were required by the Inland Revenue and HM Revenue and Customs to complete self-assessment return forms in each year since 2001.

Dawn Primarolo: This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Sports Bodies (Corporation Tax)

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much corporation tax was paid by the  (a) Football Association,  (b) English Cricket Board,  (c) Rugby Football Union,  (d) Rugby Football League and  (e) Lawn Tennis Association in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs are statutorily debarred from disclosing information relating to the tax affairs of individuals, companies and other organisations.

Sterling Valuation

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the value of sterling on the UK manufacturing sector and manufacturing jobs.

John Healey: Manufacturing output and employment is influenced by many factors. As a result, the impact of the current level of the sterling exchange rate on manufacturing output and employment is difficult to isolate with precision.
	Manufacturing output has risen for four consecutive months and has grown over 1frac34; per cent. in 2006 to date.

Sunglasses

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the removal of value added tax from the sale of sunglasses for children.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 June 2006,  Official Report, column 91W, to the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr. Davey)

Tax Credit Verification Rule 12

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why tax credit verification rule 12 was suspended for 18 months from April 2003; who  (a) made and  (b) approved this decision; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The tax credit verification rule 12 was not suspended.

Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether his Department plans to change the way that tax credit overpayments are recovered;
	(2)  whether he has made an assessment of the merits of a system of suspending payments until the overpayment is cleared for dealing with tax credit overpayments.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my remarks and those of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the House on 7 June 2006,  Official Report, column 293 and columns 326-27.
	HMRC's policy is set out in CoP26, What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit. When HMRC seek recovery of an overpayment they seek to do so in a manner which will not put a family in financial difficulty. PBR 2005 announced that from November 2006 HMRC will apply automatic limits on recovery of excess amounts paid where awards are adjusted in-year following a reported change. These limits will be the same as the current limits on cross-year overpayment recovery, and will ensure that no low- to middle-income family faces unexpected reductions in tax credit payments.

Tax Investigations

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax investigations have been carried out by HM Revenue and Customs in each year since 1997; and how many of those were VAT-related investigations.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of criminal and civil investigations conducted each year by HMRC is published in the Departmental Annual Report and, prior to the creation of HMRC, was published each year in the Annual Reports of both the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise. Copies of the Annual Reports are available in the Library of the House.

Tax Revenue

Philip Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised by stamp duty in  (a) share transactions and  (b) property sales in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 1997-98 and (iii) 1979-80; and what each figure represents as a percentage of the total tax paid in each year.

Edward Balls: Receipts of stamp duty from property and share transactions from 2000-01 can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/table15-1.pdf.
	Total receipts data from 1999-2000 are published in table C4 of the Public Finances Databank, which can be found at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/economic_data_and_tools/finance_spending_statistics/pubsec_finance
	The series in the databank which most closely reflects total tax paid is 'Net taxes and National Insurance Contributions'.
	The total revenue raised and the revenue raised from stamp duty in 1979-80 and 1997-98 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   billion 
			   1979-80  1997-98 
			 Total tax paid 70.0 296.2 
			 Revenue raised from stamp duty property sales 0.4 1.5 
			 Revenue raised from stamp duty share transactions 0.2 2.0

Taxation Rules

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made to residence and domicile rules relating to taxation as a consequence of the review of such rules in April 2003.

Dawn Primarolo: The review is ongoing.

Tourism

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many tourists came to the UK from  (a) the USA,  (b) Canada,  (c) India,  (d) Pakistan,  (e) China and  (f) the United Arab Emirates in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many tourists came to the UK from each European country in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 16 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions concerning the numbers of tourists visiting the United Kingdom from various countries around the world in the last five years (94038, 94039).
	Visits made abroad by UK residents are estimated from data collected on the International Passenger Survey (IPS). The survey is conducted at all major airports, and on major sea and tunnel routes. The data collected are weighted up to national estimates provided by the CAA, the Department for Transport, Eurotunnel and Eurostar. Note that the numbers refer to the number of visits by residents of the countries in question and not to the number of visitors from these countries which is information that is not available.
	
		
			  Number of visits by residents of (a) USA, (b) Canada, (c) India, (d) Pakistan, (d) China, (e) United Arab Emirates, 2001-05( 1) 
			  Number of visits to the UK (Thousand) 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Canada 647 660 652 740 796 
			 USA 3,580 3,611 3,346 3,616 3,438 
			 India 189 205 199 255 272 
			 Pakistan 96 62 57 76 91 
			 Hong Kong (China) 146 158 131 145 146 
			 Other China 95 103 106 139 131 
			 United Arab Emirates 111 109 113 147 133 
			 (1) The figures for China are separated into Hong Kong and Other China 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of visits by residents of each of the European countries, 2001-05 
			  Number of visits to the UK (Thousand) 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Albania 2 2 1 4 7 
			 Armenia 2 2 1 0 2 
			 Austria 191 219 263 295 287 
			 Azerbaijan 7 8 6 12 14 
			 Belgium 916 966 936 1,104 1,112 
			 Bosnia Herzegovina 7 7 1 10 11 
			 Bulgaria 35 33 42 22 39 
			 Byelorussia 6 4 3 4 2 
			 Croatia 21 19 20 16 29 
			 Cyprus 75 80 104 105 108 
			 Czechoslovakia 117 124 207 274 292 
			 Denmark 394 429 419 476 538 
			 Estonia 8 19 13 21 36 
			 Finland 100 121 122 156 174 
			 France 2,852 3,077 3,073 3,254 3,324 
			 Georgia 2 3 1 3 4 
			 Germany 2,309 2,556 2,611 2,968 3,294 
			 Gibraltar 24 32 22 42 32 
			 Greece 185 169 185 203 199 
			 Hungary 104 132 111 188 274 
			 Iceland 41 40 68 83 77 
			 Irish Republic 2,039 2,439 2,488 2,578 2,806 
			 Italy 857 977 1,168 1,348 1,186 
			 Kazakhstan 6 12 10 14 8 
			 Kirghizia 0 1 3 2 1 
			 Latvia 12 16 13 30 68 
			 Lithuania 32 28 23 83 134 
			 Luxembourg 55 44 42 63 49 
			 Macedonia 4 3 2 7 2 
			 Malta 46 36 50 58 53 
			 Moldavia 0 1  1  
			 Montenegro  1 1 1 1 
			 Netherlands 1,411 1,419 1,549 1,620 1,720 
			 Norway 403 397 433 510 627 
			 Poland 225 188 325 528 1,041 
			 Portugal 172 170 193 213 222 
			 Rumania 31 34 42 59 49 
			 Russia 108 117 138 148 177 
			 Serbia 4 5 13 16 15 
			 Slovakia 24 26 36 63 148 
			 Slovenia 28 24 29 66 55 
			 Spain 856 1,010 1,206 1,465 1,786 
			 Sweden 527 530 533 585 728 
			 Switzerland 514 593 564 597 699 
			 Tadzhikstan 1 1  1  
			 Turkey 69 65 92 95 99 
			 Turkmenistan 0 1 1 6 2 
			 Ukraine 15 23 35 13 32 
			 Uzbekistan 4 1 4 5 2 
			 Yugoslavia 13 13 4 8

UK Oil Refiners (Tax Revenue)

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax revenue was received from UK oil refiners in the last year for which figures are available.

John Healey: Corporation Tax liability data are published by industry group on the HMRC website. The latest figures are available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/11_5_oct05.pdf
	Data for UK oil refiners are included within the Energy, water supply group in Table T11.5. Specific data for oil refiners are not produced and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

VAT Receipts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was received in VAT receipts in each financial year between 1997-98 and 2005-06; and what the estimated loss of revenue from VAT fraud was in each of those years.

Dawn Primarolo: The receipts for VAT can be found in the HM Revenue and Customs 'Value Added Tax Bulletin', which is available from a HM Revenue and Customs website address at:
	http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullvat
	Estimates for the level of losses due to VAT fraud are not available. However, estimates of the VAT gap, which includes losses due to fraud, are available in the series of papers, 'Measuring and Tackling Indirect Tax Losses', published in November 2002 and December of 2003-05. Copies of these papers can be obtained from the House Library.

Waste Oil/Biodiesel

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much  (a) waste oil and  (b) biodiesel was (i) exported and (ii) imported in the most recent year for which figures are available.

John Healey: There were no consignments of waste oil exported from, or imported to the United Kingdom in 2005. It is not possible to identify consignments of biodiesel from the data held.

Water/Sewerage Charges

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to conclude his revision of support to people facing high water and sewerage charges; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Cross-Government Review of Water Affordability Report was published in December 2004. It concluded that:
	(i) that the Vulnerable Group's Regulations should be extended to increase eligibility, with measures put in place to increase take-up;
	(ii) a local scale pilot scheme should be set up to target water affordability assistance to lower income households;
	(iii) and that companies, Government and Ofwat should investigate the likely distributional consequences of costs for water consumers and the case for suitable tariff changes.
	Work is continuing on these recommendations.
	The Vulnerable Groups Regulations are intended to offer targeted protection to customers with particularly low incomes, who have water meters and who use large amounts of water for essential purposes. This includes families with three or more children, and people with specified medical conditions who are on income-related benefits. Following a review and consultation, the criteria for eligibility were amended from 1 April 2005. The criteria now include a more inclusive list of qualifying medical conditions and families with three or more children in full time education under the age of 19. In July, DEFRA held a workshop, attended by water companies and other interested stakeholders, to promote good practice in administrating the tariff.
	A pilot study is currently under way in the South West which is looking at the combined impacts of several measures on water affordability, including benefit entitlement checks, meter installation and water efficiency measures. We expect the results of the pilot study in summer 2007.
	DEFRA is also working with water companies and Ofwat to look at the distributional impact of tariffs on low income households. We expect the results of this work towards the end of 2006.